Drug test awards Adams shot put gold

Just hours after the London Olympics concluded, it's been announced Valerie Adams has been awarded the gold medal for shot put.

The International Olympic Committee has stripped the gold medal from Belarus' Nadzeya Ostapchuk after she tested positive for metenolone.

Chef de Mission Dave Currie says Ostapchuk has tested positive for the banned anabolic agent metenolone.

"We had a communication from IOC telling us the Belarussian had been disqualified, and that Val had a gold medal. I immediately phoned Val and she was clearly overcome, excited, tearful. It was one of the more pleasant advices I'd ever received."

Adams says she received the news while she was driving to the home of coach Jean-Pierre Egger.

"Burst into tears and shouted out 'we won, we won the gold medal'. I just fell into JP's arms and just shared the moment, because we shared the moment of distress and disappointment on the sixth of August, but today we shared a moment of happiness."

A date and location for a medal ceremony is yet to be decided.

She also says it's encouraging for athletes who compete cleanly to know the system works and doping cheats are caught out.

Sport New Zealand boss Peter Miskimmin has hinted he had some doubts about Nadzeya Ostapchuk's shot put gold medal.

Miskimmin concedes there had to be some questions at the time.

"I mean always, when you have performances like that it begs the question as to why did she improve so quickly over a short period of time?"

Miskimmin says it proves the testing works.

"This is just vindication of everything WADA stands for in terms of being very vigilant around those who treat. I'm just so pleased for Val that on a level playing field she came out on top."

Peter Miskimmin says the questions had to be asked why Ostapchuk's throws improved so much in a short space of time.

Adams threw 20.70 metres in the shot put final at the Olympic Stadium on August 6 and was originally awarded silver behind the Belarusian who took gold with 21.36 metres.

Photo: Getty Images