European Championships
Long jump star Mihambo succeeds in starting from “cold trousers”
Confident: Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo is on course for gold in the long jump in Munich. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
After a corona infection, Malaika Mihambo jumped further at the European Championships than when she won the title four years ago. She makes an optimistic forecast for German athletics.
Malaika Mihambo waved happily to the cheering fans. After difficult days due to a corona infection, the Olympic champion in the Munich Olympic Stadium set course for the desired European title with a strong performance in the pre-fight.
With 6.99 meters, the 28-year-old won the long jump qualification. She jumped significantly further than when she won gold at the European Championships in Berlin four years ago, when she landed in the sand pit after 6.75 meters. “I feel quite good. 6.99 meters speaks for itself somewhere,” said Mihambo on the stadium microphone and caused renewed cheering from the many fans with Germany flags.
Corona infection made things difficult for Mihambo
After successfully defending the World Championship title a good three weeks ago in the USA, Germany’s track and field star had to endure difficult days. A corona infection was causing her health problems, forcing her to start the EM in Munich “out of the cold trousers”, as she put it loosely. The countdown to the European Championships was accompanied by plenty of doubts about the physical condition, which also left their mark on the mentally strong Mihambo.
“Today and the last few days I haven’t let it get to me anymore, because that’s something you can’t change,” she said in a good mood in the catacombs of the traditional main sports venue of the 1972 Olympic Games. There were also a warm hug from teammate Hanna Klein, who safely qualified for the final in third place over 1500 meters.
Mihambo’s mood is great despite the bumpy preparation. And unlike in Eugene, when only she and the women’s sprint relay won medals, the focus in Munich should not only be on “the face of athletics” (President Jürgen Kessing).
Mihambo: “German athletics is not dead”
“At the European Championships you notice that German athletics is not dead. But you may need a little more to get to the top of the world,” said Mihambo. “We’ve already won a lot of medals, with a bit of luck even more. I’m happy for the team that things are going better than in Eugene.” On Tuesday, the association was happy about silver from walker Christopher Linke over 35 kilometers.
One factor should be the fans who cheered the German long jump quartet in qualifying two days before the medal decision this Thursday. “You can definitely feel the atmosphere. It was a super great atmosphere,” enthused Mihambo. Aside from her, Merle Homeier (Göttingen) made it into the final as twelfth with 6.49 meters. It wasn’t enough for Mikaelle Assani (Karlsruhe) and Maryse Luzolo (Königstein).
Second best in qualifying was Maryna Bech-Romanchuk from Ukraine with 6.87 meters. Mihambo keeps in touch with the wife of Mychajlo Romantschuk, who is currently competing at the European Swimming Championships in Rome, even in the particularly difficult times for the Ukrainians. “At the beginning of this war of aggression by Russia, I asked her how she and her family were doing, whether she was safe, whether I could do anything for her,” Mihambo said in a dpa interview. “During the competitions we also talked about her life during the war. I am connected to her beyond the sporting side during this time.”