HATTI Archer was happy as her long wait to receive her 2010 European Championships silver medal came to an end on Saturday, writes STUART WEIR.

The 36-year-old steeplechaser, from Radley, was finally presented with the medal at at the Muller Grand Prix in Birmingham.

Archer, competing under her maiden name of Dean, finished fourth in Barcelona eight years ago, but was upgraded to bronze in 2015 when runner-up Martha Dominguez was found guilty of doping.

And last year, when Russian Lyubov Kharlamova, who initially finished third, was disqualified for the same offence, Archer was promoted again to silver.

The former pupil at St Helen & St Katharine School, Abingdon, said: “It is really special having my medal presented here because I trained in Birmingham and it’s lovely my coach Bud Baldaro is here to watch.

“I have gone through a lot of different emotions in the past three years, but today I am just happy, particularly having my family and my children watching.”

Recalling the race, she said: “I was really happy with my performance in Barcelona.

“First of all to get to the final was a real bonus as I didn’t expect to reach the final and then I didn’t expect to run so well in the final.

“I have loads of happy memories, being with my family.”

Admitting there was a bittersweet aspect to the day, she added: “It is a real shame that I missed having the medal presented on the day and I have felt angry and sad about that in the past.

“Now I have moved through that, but it would have been lovely to have had that medal in my career and to have run with the confidence of being a medal winner.”