athletics
Mihambo takes the next title – Krause wins over 1500 meters
Beaming about her seventh German indoor title in a row: Malaika Mihambo. photo
© Sebastian Willnow/dpa
Long jumper Malaika Mihambo is top again at the German indoor championships after initial problems in her comeback. A runner returns as a double champion.
With national indoor championship titles, the top German long jumper and runner Gesa Krause have indicated after long breaks that they can be expected again in the Olympic season.
Olympic champion Mihambo barely fended off her challengers’ attack with 6.93 meters, while two-time European obstacle champion Krause returned after her maternity leave as double champion over 1500 and 3000 meters.
Mihambo: “Very good prospects for the summer”
For the first time after tearing her muscle fiber and missing the World Championships last year, Mihambo was able to fully impress in her comeback and shine with her seventh German indoor title in a row. “I also had a lot of fun. It was a tough competition, I’m glad I got into the run-up like that,” said the two-time world champion and stated succinctly: “Very good prospects for the summer.”
Mihambo only wants to compete at the Istaf Indoor this Friday in Berlin and then finish her indoor season. With her winnings, she is back among the world’s best. Only Tara Davis-Woodhall was significantly better with 7.18 meters at the US Championships over the weekend.
Mikaelle Assani landed just two centimeters behind Mihambo, exceeding the Olympic standard and also the standard for the World Indoor Championships in just under two weeks in Glasgow with 6.91 meters. Third in the strongest competition of the entire weekend was Laura Raquel Müller, the previous German best of the year with 6.48 meters.
Krause takes self-confidence with him from Leipzig
Krause, on the other hand, still has to get closer to the top international level and also run faster in order to achieve the desired starts at the European Championships in Rome at the beginning of June and then at the Olympics. But the weekend in Leipzig gave her self-confidence. “I’ve made a double start three times in my career and won three times, I’m very proud of that,” said the 31-year-old.
Krause also admitted in view of a crash in the dense field: “Tactically, it was one of the worst races I’ve ever run.” Overall, she said: “I’m of course happy about the victory. It was a very nice weekend, a very nice comeback. Of course I’m happy that everything worked out.” The dream goal is the Olympic final over 3000 meters obstacle in Paris at the beginning of August.
In the sprint, 60-meter champion Rebekka Haase was also unbeatable over 200 meters; the European relay champion secured her sixth title on this distance in 23.15 seconds. In the men’s high jump, the clearly favored European Championship runner-up Tobias Potye dropped out after jumping 2.14 meters.
Six months after the medalless World Championships in Budapest, German athletics is particularly good about the return of Mihambo, who missed the World Championships after her injury at the outdoor championships in Kassel.