Christine Ohuruogu Olympics
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Gold Rush on BBC One: Christine Ohuruogu discusses her fall from grace from the Olympics

She missed three drug tests and was banned for a year

Gold Rush: Our Race to Olympic Glory continues this week – and Olympics athlete Christine Ohuruogu takes centre stage.

In episode two of the three-parter, she discusses her dramatic fall from grace after missing three drugs tests.

She was banned from competing in the Olympics.

However, she went on to become one of the success stories of the 2012 games.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Christine Ohuruogu Olympics
Christine Ohuruogu discusses her dramatic fall from grace at the Olympics (Credit: BBC One)

Read more: When does the Tokyo Olympics start and which new sports have been added?

Who is Christine Ohuruogu?

Christine is a former British track and field athlete who competed in the 400 metres.

She is famous for representing Team GB in the 400 metres event.

She competed in the Olympic Games, World Athletic Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Christine became the Olympic champion in 2008, and silver medalist in 2012.

She is a double World Champion, having won the 400 metres at the 2007 and 2013 World Championships.

She has also won six World championship medals in the women’s 4 x 400m relay as part of the GB and Northern Ireland team.

Christine won a bronze Olympic medal with the women’s 4 x 400m relay at the 2008 Beijing Games and the 2016 Rio Games.

Christine shares the record for medalling in most successive global championships with Merlene Ottey and Usain Bolt.

She won nine between the 2005 World Championships in Athletics and the 2016 Summer Olympics.

Her relay bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics made her the second British track and field athlete to win medals at three successive Olympic Games.

Her personal best time stands at 49.41 seconds.

The Queen appointed her an MBE in the 2009 New Year Honours.

Christine is the author of the Camp Gold series of children’s books.

They follow an elite training school for budding athletes.

Why was she banned from the Olympics?

Christine was a budding athlete whose future looked bright.

However, she suffered a dramatic fall from grace after missing three drugs tests.

The British Olympic Association banned Christine for a year for missing three out-of-competition drug tests known as the “whereabouts” system.

She missed one in October 2005 and then a further two in June 2006.

The three tests that she missed broke regulations and counted as a doping violation.

Under IAAF and British Olympic Association rules, she received a one-year ban for missing these tests.

Christine was forced to miss the first test on October 12 2005.

She was also unavailable for the vital third test just prior to the Europeans in Gothenburg in 2006.

The British Olympic Association suspended her from competing in the 2006 European Athletics Championships.

They believed she had committed a violation of the anti-doping code.

Christine blamed a change to her training schedule for not being at the location.

The British Olympic Association also imposed a lifetime ban on competing at future Olympic Games for Great Britain.

At the time, she said: “I am utterly devastated and completely heartbroken by today’s decision to exclude me from competing for 12 months.

“I am now forced to consider my athletics future in light of today’s decision.”

However, her Olympic ban was overturned in November 2007 after she appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Within days of the end of her year-long competition suspension, she won the gold medal at the 2007 World Championships in Osaka.

Christine Ohuruogu Olympics
Christine competing in the Muller Diamond League Anniversary Games in London (Credit: Splash)

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When did Christine Ohuruogu retire?

Christine Ohuruogu announced her retirement in June 2008.

The former Olympic and World 400m champion retired at the age of 34.

She said: “Today is the start of the British Championships and, as I won’t be competing, I feel it is a good time to announce my retirement.”

“I end my career with four Olympic medals and five World Championships medals.

“Athletics has been my passion for so long and I am proud to call myself an athlete.”

Why did Christine Ohuruogu retire?

Sadly Christine missed out on selection for the individual 400m at the 2017 World Championships.

She failed to advance to the final at the GB World Championship trials in June of that year.

Christine finished third in her heat with a time which was five seconds down on her personal best.

She subsequently revealed that 2017 would be her last season in competition.

Christine admitted she did not feel ready to retire at the end of 2017.

However, her subsequent training had been restricted due to injuries and her studies.

She said: “I didn’t feel ready to retire after last season.

“But a combination of my studies and a niggling injury restricted how much training I was able to do this year.”

Christine Ohuruogu Olympics
Christine Ohuruogu attending the BT Sport Industry Awards 2019 at Battersea Evolution in London (Credit: Splash)

How old is Christine Ohuruogu?

Christine Ijeoma Ohuruogu was born on May 17 1984 to Igbo Nigerian parents in Newham, East London.

She is currently 37 years old.

She has eight siblings, one of whom is Victoria Ohuruogu, a sprints competitor.

Gold Rush: Our Race to Olympic Glory episode two

The second part of BBC One‘s documentary charting Team GB’s path to Olympic glory in 2012.

Viewers relive the moments in which Britain made its bid to host the 2012 games.

Meanwhile, the British team go in search of new talent, including a nine-year-old Tom Daley beginning his sporting career.

Christine Ohuruogu discusses her fall from grace after missing three drugs tests, and her subsequent return to the track.

The episode concludes with the 2008 games in Beijing.

This was when Britain turned its fortunes around with 51 medals.

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Gold Rush: Our Race to Olympic Glory continues on Monday July 12 2021 at 9pm on BBC One.

Are you looking forward to the Tokyo Olympics? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix.


Helen Fear
TV Editor

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