AMSTERDAM -- Ostracized by many in her native Russia for blowing the whistle on doping practices, Yulia Stepanova finally had a chance to run, in the European championships, but was let down by her body.She pulled up in her 800-meter heat when she tore a ligament in her right foot, further endangering her chances of taking part in the Rio Games.While I was running there was a snap that I heard and I could not understand what happened, she said through a translator. It happened some 200 meters from the finish but by then she was already in last place in her heat, where she had been since the start.She limped to the line, bent on finishing her race, but it was another setback among many that have turned her career from a promising middle distance runner into an athlete primarily known for what she did off the track.Stepanova is half of the husband-and-wife team that has blown a Russian doping scandal wide open. Her husband is Vitaly Stepanov, a former Russian anti-doping official and between them, they were able to gather a trove of evidence on how doping has worked in Russia.Stepanov provided information on the manipulation of samples to ensure Russias sports stars didnt fail doping tests, while his wife shot undercover footage of athletes and coaches apparently discussing how to dope.That evidence was crucial to a documentary broadcast in Germany in December, which in turn sparked a World Anti-Doping Agency inquiry and subsequent damning report.The pressure was very hard, I had a lot of people who did not believe me, she said. Russia still does not believe this. Before the race, other athletes had already come over to congratulate her for being a lynchpin in exposing the scandal.When I was sitting in the changing room, all the girls from the direct opposition I had today came up to me and said thank you for what youve done, she said.In Amsterdam, she was competing as a neutral athlete under a special exemption since her nation is barred from competing because of the doping scandal.Even if the IAAF world athletics federation allowed her to compete and the Europeans welcomed her, it is still unclear how and if she will compete in Rio.The injury did not improve her chances.First of all I don t know yet whether I will be at the Olympics, she said in the bowels of the Amsterdam Olympic stadium, sitting on a chair for comfort.Secondly I have to see how my injury improves.Stepanova said she came into Wednesdays race with a painful inflammation in her foot, and her lack of form showed. She had come from North America only days before her race and the jetlag showed.Stepanova is the only Russian at the European championships running under such a special neutral flag exemption.Im very happy to have been able to compete here, she said.On the first day of the championships, Yasemin Can of Turkey won the first gold, when she tore away from the pack early on and took the 10,000 meter title well ahead of Dulce Felix of Portugal. Cheap Custom Stars Jersey . Giroud, who wasnt in the starting lineup for two matches after allegations about his private life and a decline in form, scored twice in the first half. Tomas Rosickys chip made it 3-0 before half time at Emirates Stadium, while defender Laurent Koscielny scored an unmarked header in the second half. Custom Stars Jersey China . 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The Chiefs have delivered a lesson in intensity to the Stormers, turning on the razzle-dazzle in a 60-21 Super Rugby quarter-final win in Cape Town.Inspired by 25 points to brilliant fullback Damian McKenzie and a team desire to play at speed, the Chiefs scored eight tries to three to book a semi-final against the top-seeded Hurricanes in Wellington on Saturday.The other semi-final will pit the Lions against the defending champion Highlanders in Johannesburg next Sunday morning (AEST).The Stormers hadnt played against a New Zealand team all season and had little idea how to shut down opponents playing with their trademark flair.It was the heaviest-ever home defeat for the Stormers while the Chiefs reached 60 points for just the fourth time in their 280-game history.Halves Brad Weber and Aaron Cruden dictated terms behind a relentless forward pack while outside backs James Lowe and McKenzie were heavily involved, most notably during a purple patch in the first half when they scored four tries in 20 minutes.Co-captain Cruden praised his sides willingness to attack.We were lucky we got off to a really good start and we were able to keep that tempo going for 80 minutes, he said.Weve got a young group of guys that are really enjoying each others compaany and each others passion out on the field.dddddddddddd.Cruden admitted another long flight ahead of the semi-finals would be a challenge to overcome.Its going to be very tough. Well just have to make sure we recover well, give it our all and see what happens.Stormers prop Vincent Koch scored at the start and finish of the first half yet they trailed 34-14 at the break after conceding tries to Weber, Lowe, wing Sam McNicol and No.8 Tom Sanders.McKenzie, who kicked nine of 10 shots at goal, crossed early in the second half after his pack claimed a scrum tighthead to effectively seal the outcome.Nizaam Carr bagged the Stormers third try before three Chiefs reserves - Hika Elliot, Tevita Koloamatangi and Tawera Kerr-Barlow - crossed in the final five minutes.It was a flat end to the Stormers career of retiring captain Schalk Burger, the long-serving Springboks loose forward.Theres not much you can say about that performance. We basically got blown out of the water after 20 minutes. We never stopped trying but it was sort of a horror movie for us out there, Burger said.Sometimes the harder you try, the worse things get. ' ' '