Elated Troon bobsleigh ace Stuart Benson spoke of his joy five years after missing out on a podium place at the Winter Olympics in Sochi.

Last week it was announced the four-man Team GB bobsleigh team of Benson, John Jackson, Bruce Tasker and Joel Fearon had officially been upgraded to the bronze medal following confirmation from the International Olympic Committee.

The quartet originally finished fifth in Sochi, just 0.11 off third, however disqualification for athletes in both Russian sleds for doping offences means that the British crew are now officially Olympic medallists.

The confirmation also means that Latvia are now the official gold medallists from the Games with the USA given silver. Benson, who retired from the sport just months after the Winter Games and is in the RAF said he would treasure the medal and that the right decision had been made.

He said: “Justice has been done. You can’t cheat and have to play by the rules. We knew there was going to be an investigation after the Olympic Games. We felt proud at achieving fifth as we performed really well, but it’s great to find out we have been awarded a medal.

“This has to be my biggest achievement in the sport.” Dad of two Stuart, who now lives in the Midlands, hopes to share the medal with his family.

He said: “I really look forward to getting the medal and there’s an option of a presentation close to where you live, hopefully that will happen. My wife Sarah will enjoy it and my children Thomas, 4 and Peter, 2." 

Mike Hay, Team GB’s Chef de Mission from Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 said: “John, Stuart, Bruce and Joel have waited over five years for official confirmation for what I’m sure they’ve known all along. Their patience and dignity throughout this time is to their huge credit and it’s incredibly pleasing to finally be able to refer to them all as Olympic bronze medallists.”