Olympic Games - Corona puts the brakes on Mihambo - Olympics probably without Klosterhalfen
Germany's athletics star Malaika Mihambo's journey to the Olympics has been disrupted due to a Corona infection. The Weitsprung Olympics gold medalist has had to withdraw from the German Championships in Braunschweig from Friday to Sunday. Former European champion Konstanze Klosterhalfen has also cancelled her participation.
"I was really looking forward to competing in front of a home crowd, it's always been a great competition and a lot of fun," said Mihambo on Wednesday. She is currently not fit enough health-wise "to compete in a race." She began light training again yesterday and is very optimistic "that I'll be able to fully recover my potential soon."
The withdrawal was advised by doctors. "The championships in Braunschweig come too early for a start," said national coach Ulli Knapp.
Mihambo and Neugebauer harbor high hopes
Apart from decathlete Leo Neugebauer, who made headlines this month with another German record, Mihambo is the main gold hope for German athletes for Paris. While Mihambo and Neugebauer have already secured their Olympic tickets, Klosterhalfen is expected to miss out.
"I held on to hope until the last minute and did everything to maintain the chance for the DM and the Olympic norm. But I have to admit that I'm not there yet," said the German record holder over 5,000 and 10,000 meters. Even though it's going better for her after her illness-related EM withdrawal: Top performances are not yet back. "That's not easy for me right now," said the 27-year-old, an Olympic participant in 2016 and 2021.
Mihambo again in title race misfortune
Two weeks ago at the European Championships in Rome, Mihambo won with the world's best performance of 7.22 meters. Now she wants to get in top shape for the Ring Spectacle after her recovery and setback in training.
Mihambo has been unlucky in title races once again due to a Corona infection. Last year, Germany's three-time athlete of the year suffered a muscle tear at the German Championships in Kassel and could not start at the medal-less World Championships in Budapest for the German Athletics Association.
"A special experience" after Corona at EM 2022
At the German EM Summer Fairy Tale 2022, the athlete from LG Kurpfalz fought her way to silver just a few weeks after her WM title, weakened by a Corona infection. "That was a remarkable performance. It was an extremely intense competition and definitely a special experience," said Mihambo to the German Press Agency a few weeks ago. "The competition helped me recognize my own limits even better."
Klosterhalfen, the European champion over 5,000 meters in Munich two years ago, has to face another challenging year. Last year, the WM third-place finisher of 2019 missed the German Championships due to a foot injury and then also the WM in Budapest.
"The curtain falls at the weekend"
The German Championships in Lower Saxony are the last chance to position oneself for an Olympic nomination. Around two dozen athletes and athletes around Mihambo have already secured a place in the Paris squad through a direct norm. "After the German Championships, the curtain will fall," said sports director Jörg Bügner. The nomination takes place on July 5.
- Despite the disruption due to Corona, Leo Neugebauer, along with Malaika Mihambo, remains a significant gold hope for German athletes in the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
- Born in Olympia, Malaika Mihambo is currently training in Lower Saxony, where the German Championships are scheduled from Friday to Sunday.
- Malaika Mihambo had planned to participate in the German Championships in Brunswick to achieve the necessary Olympic norm, but her Corona infection has forced her to withdraw.
- Konstanze Klosterhalfen, who was also expected to participate in the German Championships, has had to cancel her participation due to health reasons, just like Mihambo.
- In Baden-Württemberg, Malaika Mihambo has previously experienced title race misfortune, evidenced by her muscle tear at the German Championships in Kassel last year.
- German Press Agency reported that Mihambo described her silver medal performance at the German EM Summer Fairy Tale 2022, held in her home region of LG Kurpfalz, as a "special experience" despite suffering from a Corona infection.
- Jörg Bügner, the sports director, stated that the German Championships in Lower Saxony serve as the last opportunity for athletes to position themselves for an Olympic nomination, with around two dozen athletes already securing a place through a direct norm.
