European Championships
Mihambo confident: EM start after infection probably possible
Malaika Mihambo’s start at the European Athletics Championships in Munich is not yet certain. photo
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
After the corona infection, Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo raised hope that the start of the European Championship would work. The 28-year-old is cautious, but thinks a jump over seven meters is possible.
Malaika Mihambo laughed – and with every minute the doubts about starting the EM in Munich after her corona infection seemed to disappear.
“I trust myself to be able to make a good jump,” said the 28-year-old at the preparatory camp of the German Athletics Association in Erding. “The feeling of insecurity about your own performance remains. You start out of the cold pants,” added Mihambo.
Nevertheless, she is confident that she will not be without a chance if she participates. “I’m not going to compete with a bang and that I only have the energy to get to the board,” she assured. Despite the improvement in health, the final decision has not yet been made. “I’m fine, but I can already tell that I was ill and get tired more quickly after training and I’m not at 100 percent of my performance,” said Mihambo.
Mihambo: “Can still jump over seven meters”
After all, she was really sick for five days and positive for a total of eight days before she “slowly approached moving”. She did everything to get her body fit again as quickly as possible after the infection – from good nutrition, lots of sleep to nasal rinses and inhalations.
“I didn’t want to just write off the EM and say it wouldn’t work anyway. I wanted to believe in myself,” said Mihambo. Especially since she hasn’t lost so much substance in the past three weeks since the World Championships in Eugene, even if she can’t jump a new best of 7.31 meters: “Nevertheless, I can still jump over seven meters.”
Before Corona top favorite
About 35 kilometers away from Erding, the fight for Mihambos triple title starts on Tuesday with the qualification. After the Tokyo Olympic champion successfully defended her title at the World Cup three weeks ago, the 2018 European champion was also considered the top favorite for EM gold – before she slowed down a corona infection.
An out of the greatest German hope for gold would give the DLV a strong mood dampener. Especially after the unsuccessful World Championships in the USA, where there was no further medal apart from her victory and bronze for the women’s sprint relay, the DLV is striving for compensation in the Olympic Stadium. A double-digit medal result is targeted in the Bavarian state capital, at the European Championships 2018 in Berlin there were 19 medals for German athletes.
“Ambassador of Athletics”
“Malaika is an outstanding ambassador for athletics, on a national and international level,” said head national coach Annett Stein. “She is of course a very successful and authentic athlete and her whole development is special and exciting. But we have more athletes with potential.”
That’s what the DLV officials are counting on for the prestigious home competition. Javelin thrower Julian Weber (Mainz), discus thrower Claudine Vita (Neubrandenburg), pole vaulter Oleg Zernikel (Landau) and Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (Leverkusen) as well as the bronze sprinters of the 4×100 meter Relay ensure top positions in the Olympic Stadium.
The top performers missing in Eugene are heptathlete Carolin Schäfer (Frankfurt), marathon runner Amanal Petros (Wattenscheid), the Olympic silver medalist in walking, Jonathan Hilbert (Gotha), or the Olympic eighth in shot put, Sara Gambetta (Halle/Saale), for provide pleasing results. Javelin throwing aces Johannes Vetter and Christin Hussong as well as European obstacle course champion Gesa Krause have canceled their participation in the European Championships in Munich.