Ludhiana: Determined to put the unsavoury dope controversy behind her, distance runner Sunita Rani has set her eyes on winning an Olympic medal for the country.

"Thank God everything is alright now. I can now focus on my career once again," she told on Saturday after receiving an award from a local organisation here.

Putting a brave front after coming out unscathed from the controversy which had put a question mark over her career, she said with renewed determination, "I will feel vindicated only when I get a medal in the Olympics."

Choosing not to delve into the controversy any more, Sunita said, "luckily everything has ended well", before adding with a faint smile "as they say, all is well that ends well".

The International Olympic Committee gave a clean chit to Sunita Rani stating there were serious discrepancies in the tests conducted by the Seoul laboratory and concluding that the athlete was "incorrectly found positive".

Sunita will be soon given back the medals she won at the Busan Asian Games at a function in New Delhi.

Sunita gave all credit to her family for supporting her in her hour of distress. "It has been my family including my father Ram Swarup and brothers Ashok Kumar and Sinderpal who fought my battle on different fronts."

On receiving the award, she said, "I really feel great and thank all the people for showering so much love and respect on me.

"I will acknowledge your emotions by winning a medal for all of you in the Olympics," she said amidst loud cheers from the crowd.

Sunita said her exoneration meant a lot for her brothers.

"It really required a great effort in totally hostile circumstances when so many people had started doubting her. Some even pronounced her guilty without even knowing a bit of the truth," one of her brothers said expressing relief at the positive turn of events.

"The family stands by Sunita and is encouraging her to win a medal in the Olympics," he said.

PTI