Medal record corrected for Innsbruck 1964 US skating pair half-century after event

By Daniel Etchells

More than 50 years after competing at the 1964 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck, United States figure skating duo Vivian and Ronald Joseph can finally lay claim to bronze medals.

The sister-brother team were in fact awarded bronze medals two years after the Games, despite finishing fourth in the discipline, when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) revealed that silver medallists Marika Kilius and Hans-Jürgen Bäumler, from West Germany, had violated their amateur status by signing a professional contract before the Games.

Another change in the medal standings saw Canadians Debbi Wilkes and Guy Revell, who finished third, move up to second place.

But in 1987, the IOC said Kilius and Bäumler were "rehabilitated" and quietly re-awarded their silver medals without explaining the medal consequences of its decision.

This remained the case until now when the IOC confirmed that Canada and West Germany shared the silver, and the Josephs had been awarded the bronze, following an inquiry by the New York Times.

"An Olympic medal is the ultimate sports symbol of hard work, sacrifice and the perseverance of athletes, parents and coaches," said the Joseph siblings in a statement.

"We are happy the issue of our medal has finally been resolved."

Americans Vivian Joseph and Ronald Joseph have finally been confirmed as the Olympic bronze medallists from Innsbruck 1964 ©US Figure Skating

The Josephs lamented that their coach, Peter Dunfield, who died at the age 82 in May of this year, and their parents were not able to witness the change.

Dunfield had engaged in much effort trying to rectify the results.

"After more than two decades of confusion, we are pleased to see Vivian and Ronald Joseph as the rightful Olympic bronze medallists," added David Raith, the executive director of US Figure Skating, in a statement.

"We respect the way the Josephs have handled the issue, knowing that this confusion has caused them much heartache and frustration."

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