The Belarus-born sprinter Krystsina Tsimanouskaya made an emotional return to the Olympics three years after fleeing to Poland during Tokyo 2020. She finished fifth in her 200m heat on Sunday morning and has another chance to reach the semi-finals in Monday’s repechage.
Tsimanouskaya made headlines around the world when she was taken to Tokyo airport by Belarusian officials and ordered to fly to Minsk after publicly criticising one of her coaches during the Games. She feared for her safety on any return to Alexander Lukashenko’s repressive regime, where some athletes have been among the many jailed or forced to emigrate after showing dissent against the state or its instruments.
