(CNN) She might be feeling the pressure of being all alone, but Darya Klishina could yet still win Russia’s only athletics medal at the Rio 2016 Games.
The US-based athlete was only cleared to compete on Monday after the Court of Arbitration for Sport overturned her ban, but was still able to qualify for Wednesday’s long-jump final.
With 67 fellow track and field athletes left at home due to claims of widespread state-sponsored doping, Klishina is finding it tough.
“It is very hard being the only Russian, as normally we are a big team with big support, and I am alone,” she told reporters Tuesday after making it through to the 12-woman final in eighth place.
“I want the Russian team here with me. I was nervous.
“I had too much stress over the last week but I do not want to talk about the last week.”
Last week, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) suspended Klishina based on “new information it received” about the 25-year-old. The IAAF did not publicly elaborate on what this new information was.
Dariya Klishina pictured ahead of the women’s long jump qualifying round in Rio.
CAS, however, ruled that the IAAF’s initial decision to clear her was the correct one.
Klishina, a two-time European indoor champion and gold medalist at the 2013 World Student Games in Kazan, has been based in Florida since 2011.
That meant she was exempt from the ban implemented by the IAAF on Russian athletes as it decided that Klishina was being tested by a “credible anti-doping agency.”
She will now hope to improve on her qualifying distance of 6.64 meters.
Serbia’s Ivana Spanovic led the way Tuesday with a best distance of 6.87. Defending champion Brittney Reese of the US was third on 6.78, behind Germany’s Malaika Mihambo (6.82).
American world champion Tianna Bartoletta was fifth with 6.70.
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