Sweden’s Carolina Kluft during the long jump event of the heptathlon at the European Athletic Championships in Gothenburg on Tuesday. (Reuters)

Gothenburg: Merlene Ottey made her European Championship debut on Tuesday at the age of 46.

The Jamaica-born sprinter, who now lives in Slovenia and competes for her adopted country, advanced from the first round in the 100 meters. She clocked 11.41 seconds and finished third in her heat to make the semi-finals.

“Of course I want to make the final, but for that I would need to be faster in the semi-finals at least by two meters. I will try, to be sure,” Ottey said.

Ottey ran on the same track in this western Swedish city where she won the gold medal for Jamaica in the 200m at the 1995 World Championships. “I remember this stadium very well, but at that time I was in far better shape,” she said.

Ottey owns 35 medals from major championships. She has lived in Slovenia since 1999.

Kim Gevaert of Belgium led all qualifiers in 11.19 seconds, with all leading medal contenders safely through. A two-time European indoor champion in the 60 meters, Gevaert leads European lists this year with 11.04 in the 100. The 100m semi-finals and final are set for Wednesday.

Favourites made it through in other events as well.Carolina Kluft, the home favourite, won the heptathlon long jump at 6.65m to increase her overall lead after five of seven events.

Kluft, who has not lost a heptathlon in five years, has 5,046 points. Kelly Sotherton of Britain remained second with 4,876, after placing second in the long jump as well at 6.51.

Karin Ruckstuhl of The Netherlands moved into third with 4,829 points. She also cleared 6.51m in the long jump.

Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia advanced in the triple jump at 14.36 meters. She is also competing in the long jump. Lebedeva is the Olympic long jump champion and has silver and bronze Olympic medals in the triple.

Hrisopiyi Devetzi of Greece, the Olympic silver medallist, had the best triple jump of the day at 16.64.

In the first finals of the weeklong championship on Monday, Ralf Bartels of Germany won the shot put with his last heave and Inga Abitova of Russia finished strong to take the women’s 10,000.

Meanwhile, Britain’s Amanda Pritchard and Italy’s Elisa Cusma were reinstated to the women’s 800m semi-final on Tuesday after protesting that pushes led to their elimination from the heats.

Marla Carmo Tavares of Portugal pushed Pritchard in the final bend on Monday, causing the Briton to crash to the ground. Pritchard then collided with Cusma, who consequently lost a shoe.

Cusma ended up fifth, while Pritchard picked herself up and finished last. Tavares, who crossed fourth, had not qualified but was quickly disqualified anyway.