athletics
Injured: Difficult days for Olympic champion Mihambo
Malaika Mihambo in action. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
With two jumps of 6.93 meters, Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo shows good form at the German championships – before she feels her thigh. What does that mean for the World Cup?
In the passenger seat of a dark car left Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo the German Athletics Championships. When she left the Auestadion in Kassel, the newly crowned title holder didn’t know exactly what her thigh injury would mean on her way to the World Cup.
With two convincing jumps of 6.93 meters, the 29-year-old from the LG Kurpfalz made a strong impression in the showdown with the German competition and secured her seventh German championship title. But the cancellation of their long jump competition on Sunday evening raised concerns.
As the German Athletics Association announced in the evening after an initial ultrasound examination, Mihambo suffered a hardening in the injured thigh, but no tear. Further investigations should provide more detailed information in the coming days. Her leg was heavily bandaged when she left. The injury will continue to be monitored in the coming days, said senior association doctor Andrew Lichtenthal.
Not an easy World Cup season
For Germany’s track and field star, the World Cup season is anything but easy. First she was disabled by an infection, now her thigh is stopping her. When striving for best distances, this slows down the world champion of 2019 and 2022 again. She would love to do the hat-trick at the World Championships from August 19th to 27th in Budapest.
Together with javelin thrower Julian Weber, Mihambo is currently the German Athletics Association’s greatest hope for a medal on the way to the highlight of the season. After gold by Mihambo and bronze by the currently weakened sprint relay around front woman Gina Lückenkemper at the overall disappointing World Cup last year, the DLV in Hungary’s capital hopes for a better performance.
Coach: “It was a miracle for me”
As in the previous year, however, health is again affecting Mihambo’s title fight plans. After the World Cup in the USA and before the European Championships in Munich, a corona infection stopped her. Nevertheless, she competed and won silver. “It was a miracle for me how Malaika did it,” said her coach Ulli Knapp about the appearance at the European Championship. Only three centimeters were missing to gold.
This year, Mihambo is fifth in the world at 6.93 meters. But the performance in Kassel was proof that things can go a lot further this season – if health plays along.