‘Heartbroken’ Richard Kilty on mission to replace Olympic medal lost following CJ Ujah’s failed drug test in Tokyo – as Team GB star says ‘it’s strictly business’ between the two

It was only two years ago that a heartbroken Richard Kilty declared he would never forgive CJ Ujah.

The Teesside sprinter had just received confirmation that he would lose the Olympic silver medal he won in Tokyo due to Ujah’s failed drugs test.

And while the other two members of Britain’s 4×100 meters relay quartet, Zharnel Hughes and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake, refused to criticize their teammate, Kilty could not hide his anger, branding Ujah “sloppy and reckless”.

At the time, in February 2022, it seemed unlikely that Kilty and Ujah would ever speak again, much less be on the same team again.

And yet, here we are, less than three months away from another Olympics, and the two men are together again representing their countries at the World Athletics Relays in the Bahamas this weekend.

Teesside sprinter Richard Kilty (above) is on a mission to replace his lost Olympic medal

So, what does Kilty think of his unexpected reunion with Ujah? “It’s strictly professional,” the 34-year-old told Mail Sport from the British team hotel in Nassau ahead of Saturday night’s 4x100m heats.

“I’m still a very honest person and the things I’ve said are publicly available. But I’m trying not to focus on that at the moment.

“Whoever I’m in the starting lineup with, I just have to do my part for the team, regardless of my friendships, my personalities and my background.

“Here it’s not personal, we’re just here to do our best to qualify for the Olympics.

“Whatever it takes for me to be the best team player, I’ll do it. I’m not going to try to burn the team down. I just want to be the best teammate I can be under these circumstances.

“Everyone is trying to focus on the future and what we can potentially achieve instead of living in the past.

“Obviously a lot has happened since 2021, but it’s business. We all have our own missions and paths to redemption, but to get there, we are a team.

CJ Ujah on track to return to British 4×100 meters relay team after serving suspension

Ujah, who was cleared of intentional doping after unknowingly consuming a contaminated substance he purchased on Amazon, returned from his backdated 22-month ban last June. But it was still a huge surprise when it was announced last month that the 30-year-old would be part of Britain’s eight-strong 4x100m team for the world relays, which act as qualifiers for the Paris Olympics .

Before the team’s release, Kilty spoke to relay coach Darren Campbell about the difficult situation. And he agreed to put aside any grievances in his bid to win an Olympic medal, which he can hopefully keep this time.

“It’s the only thing that worries me at the moment,” admits the former 60m indoor world champion. “I won’t let any personal matter get in the way of that because I know it can be heavy on the head.

“You can’t take in unnecessary stress or emotions. I know it will hold me back and hold the team back. Everything has to be positive.

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to be back healthy to prove myself and do my best to make this team and win an Olympic medal.”

This opportunity seemed unlikely just a few months ago. Removed from lottery funding last year, Kilty was ready to hang up his spikes and become a coach, having worked with the British sprint relay teams at last summer’s World Championships after injury destroyed his own chances of running.

“I was very, very, very close to retirement,” he admits. “Last year I was coaching the British team in Budapest and I had a great response. It seemed like that was where my career was.

Ujah – alongside three teammates Zharnel Hughes, Richard Kilty and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake – was stripped of his silver medal in Tokyo after testing positive.

“At the time, I probably doubted my ability to run for another year. With my coaching abilities, I know for a fact that in my lifetime I will end up becoming one of the best sprint coaches in the world.

“But I decided to continue one more year of competition. I said to myself, “In 10 years, I don’t wish I could have stayed another year and seen what my body could do.”

“I just said to myself: “You know what, I have one year left, it’s the Olympics, I would be crazy to turn my back on them less than a year before Paris. I’m going to throw the kitchen sink at this.”

“Now I’m here, injury-free and I feel good. I’m in really, really good shape and I’m just delighted to be back in the team.

If Kilty wasn’t on the track in the Bahamas, he might have found himself on the BBC couch, having proven in recent times that he is a whiz at athletics.

“Every time I’m on the BBC I get thousands of Twitter messages, lots of positive feedback,” he says. “At the moment on the BBC it’s very repetitive and maybe I’m offering something a little different. I am raw and honest. I think they need a little rework on that.

Kilty is also planning his future after racing by setting up his own athletics academy in Middlesbrough, a community interest business offering free coaching to disadvantaged children, which he hopes to open in September.

“Without sports, I probably would have been another crime statistic,” he says. “Sport completely saved my life. I want to use my experiences to help other people who may not have had as many opportunities in life to better themselves.

Kilty (right, with Mitchell-Blake) previously said he would never forgive his teammate

But before all that, he wants one last tango in Paris and to be part of the first British 4x100m relay team to win an Olympic gold medal since Campbell, Jason Gardener, Marlon Devonish and Mark Lewis-Francis who beat the States -United in Athens 2004.

“Darren reminds us of that very regularly,” laughs Kilty. “He asked Mark to make a little video for us at camp this week, explaining how special it was.

“It will be incredible, 20 years later, for us to win a gold medal with Darren as coach. It will be an incredible story.

“For me, there are definitely some unfinished business this year that I would like to accomplish before closing the door on my career.”