Darya Klishina will be Russia’s sole athletics competitor in Rio after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that she was eligible to take part.
Doping scandals have overshadowed this year’s Olympics, with Russia at the centre of the action. As such, Klishina’s involvement in the Games has been heavily scrutinised, especially with different rulings being made about her participation.
With that in mind, here is a list of everything you need to know about the athlete who’s in the spotlight.
Sport is in her blood.
The 25-year-old was born in Tver, and her father is also an athlete. He encouraged her to switch from volleyball to athletics when she was 13, and her speciality is now long jump.
She’s had a rocky road to Rio.
I did a first small step at the beginning of the season #longjupm #nike #nikewomen
A photo posted by The official Darya Klishina (@dariaklishina) on
Last Friday Klishina was suspended from competing, having previously been named as the only one of Russia’s 68-strong team that had a credible anti-doping record. Klishina appealed this decision, and in yet another U-turn, early this morning CAS ruled in her favour.
When lodging her appeal on Saturday, she defended her status as a clean athlete on Facebook:
Darya Klishina – Timeline | Facebook
She’s the only Russian athletics competitor.
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A photo posted by The official Darya Klishina (@dariaklishina) on
The International Association of Athletics Federations banned Russia’s athletics federation last November after an earlier World Anti-Doping Agency-sponsored investigation revealed widespread cheating in the country’s track and field programme.
A statement from CAS justified the decision to grant Klishina’s appeal: “Relevantly, the athlete established that she was subject to fully compliant drug-testing in – and out-of-competition outside of Russia for the ‘relevant period’.”
She lives in Florida.
Usual Sunday âð¼ï¸âð¼âð¼Ocean, sun and my lovely music #stayloud @skullcandy @skullcandy_europe @skullcandywomen
A photo posted by The official Darya Klishina (@dariaklishina) on
After signing a contract with global sports agency IMG, she moved to the US in 2011.
She also models.
This fact isn’t exactly something you need to know, but it’ll hardly come as a surprise.
Will see you soon!!!
A photo posted by The official Darya Klishina (@dariaklishina) on
Keep an eye out for Klishina when the long jump competition begins on Tuesday night.
