athletics
“It feels good”: Mihambo on the right path to the World Cup
Will start at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm before the World Cup: Malaika Mihambo. Photo: Soeren Stache/dpa
© dpa-infocom GmbH
With the sixth title win at the German championships, exceptional jumper Malaika Mihambo successfully started the triple project. Now she is also striving for gold at the World and European Championships.
Long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo believes she is on the right track in preparing for the World and European Championships in July and August.
“The competition was okay, but I noticed that there was more to it,” said the 28-year-old from LV Kurpfalz after winning her sixth title at the German Championships for track and field athletes in Berlin.
With 6.85 meters she was far ahead of the competition again. Maryse Luzolo from Königstein came second with a distance of 6.60 meters. “The fine play in the run-up wasn’t quite right, but I have the feeling that the run-up feeling is returning,” said Mihambo. “Now it’s just little things that don’t quite work. All in all it feels good.”
Triple project started successfully
Winning the national championship was the first goal of her triple project, which now includes defending her title at the World Championships from July 15th to July 24th in Eugene in the USA and three weeks later at the European Championships in Munich. «The technical and physical conditions are ideal. Before the two highlights, I can get even livelier and better,” said the three-time “Sportswoman of the Year”.
Before the World Cup, she will compete in the long jump at the Diamond League meeting in Stockholm on Thursday and maybe run over 100 and 200 meters at a smaller sports festival. The departure to the training camp in Santa Barbara, California is scheduled for July 11th. «The fine-tuning will bring the necessary little bit. Then everything is right, »said Mihambo.
The repetition of their golden successes at World and European Championships is not a sure-fire success for them. “These are not competitions that are given to you. That’s why I’m humble, you always have to work hard for it,” she emphasized. “You don’t get anything for free.” She opened the season with a jump of 7.09 meters, but hasn’t surpassed the seven-meter mark since then.