HANGZHOU – Panting as she squatted on her haunches, Kimia Yousofi was exhausted but delighted, even if she finished 21st out of 23 runners in the women’s 200m heats on Sunday. She was last in the 100m on Friday.

Every race is a win for the Afghan sprinter, who has had to overcome numerous obstacles over the past few years to be at the start line of the Hangzhou Olympic Sports Centre Stadium.

What was a momentous occasion for her at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, when she was Afghanistan’s first female flag bearer and set a national record in the 100m, turned into a nightmare shortly after.

While she was in Japan, the Taliban returned to power after seizing control of the capital Kabul and Yousofi was unable to return home.

It was deja vu for the 27-year-old. She had already fled Afghanistan once for Iran with her parents in 1996 when the Taliban first came to power.

Following the Tokyo Games, she returned to Iran with the help of the International Olympic Committee, before she was granted asylum in Australia in August 2022.

Wearing a brave face, Yousofi’s voice trembled momentarily as she spoke to The Straits Times about her journey to Hangzhou. She said: “I’ve had such a hard situation the last few years. There were many many challenges, many many problems. But during the training I had one thing in my mind: keep doing and never give up.

“I had many problems, but on the other side, Afghan girls they don’t have permission for education, work, sports...

“I can’t do anything, just keep going.”

Adjusting to life in Sydney has not been easy, but Yousofi is thankful for the support she has received.

The Australian government arranged for English lessons for Yousofi, who is there with her mother and one of her three brothers.

Yousofi has also been training under Athletics Australia coach John Quinn, who was in charge of the country’s teams at the Sydney and Tokyo Olympics.

Seeing the situation back home – millions are battling drought, hunger and illness – is hard, but it only drives the two-time Olympian to keep going in the hope that there will be more female athletes who can follow in her footsteps.

She told the Asian Games News Network: “This situation in my country makes me never give up and just keep (going) until we win. (It’s good to show that) we can fight.

“One day it’s me (competing), one day it’s another person.”

The Asian Games may be the season-ending race for many track and field athletes, but it is just the start for Yousofi, who had not competed for two years.

She had hoped for better results, but still took pride in competing in Hangzhou and believes that with more training and competitions, she will get better.

She said: “For other guys today, it is their final competition, but for me, it’s the first competition. I’m proud that I can compete here.”