European Athletics Championships
Olympic champion Mihambo is three centimeters short of victory
Three centimeters missing for the European title: Malaika Mihambo. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo was just three centimeters short of the next title. The 28-year-old finished second in a thrilling European Championship competition in the rainy Munich Olympic Stadium with a jump of 7.03 metres.
Long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo was just three centimeters short of the next title. The 28-year-old finished second in a thrilling European Championship competition in the rainy Munich Olympic Stadium with a jump of 7.03 metres.
Three and a half weeks ago, Mihambo had successfully defended her world title, but that didn’t work at the European Championships. The victory went to the Olympic bronze medalist Ivana Vuleta from Serbia, who jumped 7.06 meters in her first attempt. Third place went to Brit Jazmin Sawyers.
For Mihambo, a challenging time ends successfully even without a title. Your start at the EM had been open for a time after a corona infection. The long jumper from LG Kurpfalz and her competitors also faced special challenges in the final.
Due to a storm in Munich, the fight for the medals started a little later than planned and under more difficult conditions. After 6.71 meters in the first round, Mihambo increased to 7.03 meters in the subsequent attempt. At the World Championships, she jumped 7.12 meters. 22-year-old Merle Homeier (Göttingen) finished ninth in the European Championship final with a jump of 6.42 metres.