Law to finally get his medal

Leslie Law is ready to celebrate the end of the longest and most frustrating wait in British Olympic history today when he finally lays hands on his gold medal - eight weeks after winning it!

As Team GB's Athens medallists prepared for a rapturous welcome from crowds of 250,000 with a parade through the West End today, none were happier than three-day event champion Law, whose great day was due to be capped with him receiving his long overdue gold in a reception at Buckingham Palace.

"I don't suppose any British Olympic champion has had to wait as long as me to see the medal but I know it's all going to be worth it now," Law told Standard Sport today. "It's going to be a very special day."

Receiving his prize from Princess Anne in front of the entire GB team promised to be a wonderful climax to a bizarre saga for the 39-year-old, who was already back home in August competing in a novices event in Solihull when he learned he had won the gold medal.

Law had originally landed the individual silver and the British team the bronze. Yet after a protest, the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that Germany's Bettina Hoy had committed an infringement during the showjumping section of the competition. So Law was promoted to gold and the team to silver.

He sent his medals back from his Worcestershire home to the International Olympic Committee. Since then, because he and his teammates have had such a busy schedule and no IOC member has been on hand to make an official presentation, he has had to tell friends and family who've been dying to see his medal: "Er, sorry, I haven't got one yet."