Anastasiya Prokopenko returned to Minsk with Beijing 2008 bronze medal

On September 16, the Belarusian modern pentathlon team returned from the UIPM Pentathlon World Championships held in Mexico. Leader of the Belarusian national team Anastasiya Prokopenko brought home two gold medals – an individual and team together with Iryna Prasentsova – and the bronze of Beijing 2008.

A decade after the Olympic Games 2008 took place in Beijing, Belarus' pentathlete Anastasiya Prokopenko received a bronze award as it was withdrawn from former bronze medalist from Ukraine Victoria Tereshchuk who was found guilty of doping use.

On Sunday evening, Prokopenko arrived at the Minsk airport via Paris. Her family and friends, representatives of the Ministry of Sports and Tourism, National Olympic Committee and Belarusian Pentathlon Federation, warmly welcomed Anastasiya as she landed in the capital.

Though she was exhausted after a long flight, Prokopenko was happy to talk about her recent roaring success at the World Championships and third place at the Olympic Games in 2008.

"I could not even imagine I would be awarded the Beijing 2008 bronze. They took me out and asked me to wait a little. I went out and realized that in the ceremony host’s hands there was a box and a certificate similar to the one I received ten years ago in Beijing. I have already realized that I’m the Olympic medalist. Even now I can’t hold tears. Opponents from different countries saluted me, must be even louder than the day before after winning the World Cup."

As for the new Olympic ambitions, Anastasia is extremely motivated and confident that in a couple years her team will climb the Olympic podium.