"A reminder that I am still good"- Ashleigh Nelson gets emotional after receiving upgraded 2022 Commonwealth Games relay gold medal

Ashleigh Nelson was brought to tears as she expressed her feelings after receiving her upgraded relay gold medal from the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. Nelson was part of England’s women’s 4x100m relay team who finished second behind Nigeria in the event at the Alexander Stadium.

However, Nigeria was stripped of the title after an Anti-Doping Rule Violation. The Athletics Integrity Unit banned Nzubechi Grace Nwokocha for three years after she tested positive for ostarine and ligandrol. The start of her ban was backdated to August 3, 2022, before the Commonwealth Games, meaning all her results after the mentioned date were disqualified.

Following the ban, the English team of Nelson, Daryll Neita, Asha Philip, Imani-Lara Lansiquot, and Bianca Williams who finished second were upgraded to first place. They received their gold medals at the London Diamond League Meeting and Ashleigh Nelson could not hide her joy.

Speaking to @LillzTIL on X, Nelson recounted her glamorous 2022 season before an injury struck her in 2023. She competed at the World Championships in the US, the European Championships in Germany, and the Commonwealth Games in the United Kingdom.

In 2023, Ashleigh Nelson disclosed that she had to undergo surgery and her comeback has been very difficult. She admitted that receiving the gold medal at such a difficult time in her career was enough motivation for her to keep going.

"Oh my Gosh, you’re gonna make me cry. I had such a good year in 2022, worlds, Commonwealth and European and I didn’t know what was going to happen next. In 2023 I had surgery on my ankle and it’s just been a rough road back and it’s just been hard, and not being able to be back to where I wanted to be had been really tough," Nelson said.

"Having a reminder that I am still good and I have achieved great things in the past, it’s a nice reminder to come down today. I didn’t realize I felt like this. It’s therapy darling, Lillz, you’re doing therapy. But yeah, it’s been a nice reminder," she added.

Ashleigh Nelson to miss Olympic debut after falling short at UK Olympic trials

Ashleigh Nelson at the 22nd European Athletics Championships (Source: Getty Images)

Former European champion Ashleigh Nelson put up a dismal performance at the UK Championships and hence will not be a part of the Olympic games this year.

Ashleigh Nelson, coming back from an injury, was hoping to make an impact but failed to live up to the billing following her second-place finish in the semifinal of the women’s 100m. Her time of 11.70 seconds could not secure her a spot in the final.

The 33-year-old had a disastrous season last year after an ankle surgery that forced her to stay out of competition. She has raced sparingly this season, opening her season at the Anhalt 2024 where she finished third in 11.75 in the preliminaries.

She then competed at the BFTTA Outdoor Series 3, finishing third before her eighth-place finish at the Atleticageneve. After that, she proceeded to the UK Championships but her Olympic plight ended in disaster.