“Ladies and gentlemen, your Olympic champions.”

These words were spoken at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, yesterday – 14 years after Keston Bledman, Marc Burns, Emmanuel Callender and Richard “Torpedo” Thompson clocked 38.06 seconds in the Olympic Games men’s 4×100 metres final.

The Trinidad and Tobago quartet finished second in that August 22, 2008 race. Silver, however, turned into gold following Jamaica’s disqualification as a result of Nesta Carter’s doping violation.

Bledman, Burns, Callender and Thompson as well as Aaron Armstrong, who ran in the qualifying round, finally received their gold medals at yesterday’s Reallocation Ceremony.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach presented the five sprinters with their gold. Each man also got a bouquet of flowers, T&T Olympic Committee (TTOC) president Diane Henderson performing the presentation duties.

“We never took any shortcuts in competing,” said Thompson, “because we understand what it takes to be true champions. Being true champions and embodying the spirit of Olympism means competing with honour and integrity, and we continue to do that.

“We honour our competition,” the 2008 Olympic Games 100m silver medallist continued, “we honour each other, and we always came to represent Trinidad and Tobago with the utmost pride and respect.”

Before draping the T&T track stars with gold, Bach delivered a congratulatory address to the quintet and their guests.

“You would have preferred to have this ceremony in the Olympic Stadium in Beijing in 2008, and to share this feeling immediately after your victory, to enjoy the emotional moments after having crossed the finish line first. But on the other hand, we should look always at the bright side of life. Looking at the bright side of life this evening, finally justice is being done.

“Nobody in the Olympic movement,” the IOC president continued, “just accepted the result from Beijing and forgot about everything. We took the necessary precaution to make sure that cheaters can never feel safe. We were storing the samples and re-analysing the samples when new methods are available to do justice.”

Improved technology in drug testing resulted in a retrospective positive for Carter. In 2017, the IOC stripped Carter, Michael Frater, Usain Bolt and Asafa Powell of gold.

“There are two parts of justice,” Bach said. “One is to catch and sanction the cheats. But this is not the ultimate goal. Our ultimate goal is to protect you, to protect the clean athletes. Sanctioning the cheats is only a means to this end. But it’s not the end. Therefore, we should enjoy this together, and be happy that this finally could happen.”

Bledman, Burns, Callender, Thompson and Armstrong have joined 1976 men’s 100m champion Hasely Crawford and 2012 men’s javelin winner Keshorn Walcott in the elite “T&T Olympic Gold Medallists” club.

After receiving their precious metal, the five sprinters stood at attention for the playing of the national anthem. Immediate past president of the TTOC, Brian Lewis was thrilled that a steelpan rendition of “Forged from the Love of Liberty” was used for the ceremony.

“I always believed that the steelpan version of the national anthem and getting the IOC to approve it for Olympic medal ceremonies was an important global recognition for our national instrument. The significance of today is deep and profound in more ways than one.”

Bach said the 14-year delay in receiving gold has added value to the achievement.

“I’m sure you can really feel the pure joy and satisfaction now that you have the final confirmation that you won this Olympic final, that you won this Olympic race, that you won this Olympic gold medal by being clean and fair athletes and by being role models, not only for the young generation in Trinidad and Tobago but for the athletes around the world.

“When we award you this gold medal, it also means that we want to show our respect for you. You have been and you are fair and clean athletes. You are not just winners of a gold medal,” Bach ended. “You are true Olympic champions.”