Mihambo soars, perplexes for a prolonged period, and generates shivers.
Despite the long wait for her second jump's distance to be revealed, Malaika Mihambo maintains her cool temperament. At the Leichtathletik-Europameisterschaft, the 30-year-old leads the long jump category with an impressive performance. She refers to it as "insane." For the Olympics, Mihambo promises even grander things, as she has already indicated to her rivals.
As Mihambo anticipates her second jump's distance, her enthusiasm is nearly palpable. At the Leichtathletic-Europameisterschaft, this usually collected jumper displays noticeable excitement. When the men's 4x400-meter relay commences, the solution becomes evident. The normally restrained Mihambo erupts in cheers, gesticulates, and embraces her coach Uli Knapp. 7.22 meters - a world-leading performance. Early in the competition, it's clear that no one can dislodge her from the top spot. Silver is claimed by Italian Larissa Iapichino (6.94), and bronze by Agate De Sousa (6.91) from Portugal, who beats the second German, Mikaelle Assani.
"That's nearly crazy. I was incredibly happy. I even got a bit of goosebumps because it was the second-longest jump of my life," Mihambo says of her success at the Olympic Stadium in Rome. It's an eminent accomplishment that she achieves in this setting. An accomplishment that even astounds the Spanish triple jump champion Jordan Alejandro Diaz Fortun, who observes from the audience and reacts with astonishment and disbelief. He can't help but smile and clap his hands, his demeanor reflecting intense surprise. And he comprehends the significance of leaping great distances, as he strove to third place on the all-time world list with a distance of 18.18 meters on Tuesday.
The Olympic champion, two-time world champion, and now two-time European champion herself is the only one who has jumped farther than 7.22 meters - albeit just barely: at the 2019 World Championships in Doha, she jumped 7.30 meters. "That provides me with a significant incentive boost. I was already successful. I sensed it. Now I know that I've returned to being on par with my performance in Doha," Mihambo remarks following the competition.
On the last day of the EM, she claims the initial gold medal for the German team with her stunning performance. She sailed through the qualification unscathed. With 7.04 meters, she surpassed the required distance with equanimity. 6.70 meters is considered sovereign. With these 6.70 meters, she qualified for the final, where her second jump earned her the gold medal, even if her fifth attempt at 7.04 meters would have made her an undisputed champion.
In a discipline where millimeters matter in the approach and on the board, where the jump must be executed flawlessly, where the backside shouldn't sink into the sand too early during landing, attaining perfection is challenging. Knapp's praise of an "almost perfect jump" is a considerable compliment for Mihambo's skill and talent. She herself acknowledges room for improvement, the wind wasn't as beneficial as she desired for her dive, she confides at ZDF. In response to a query about whether she would have cleared the bar had the wind conditions been better, she smiles knowingly: "Perhaps, but maybe I would have simply directed it well."
Mihambo avails herself of the unique advantages this stadium has to offer in the pits. The pits are built on a three-meter high platform, giving the impression of a swinging floor. Athletes who exploit this wisely can seem to leap a bit further than on solid terrain. The unconventional setup has also benefited the long jumpers and jumpers at this EM. Evidently, the top distances in the triple jump and men's long jump attest to this.
Mihambo has secured the frontrunner position for the Olympic Games in Paris. The farthest jump this year was achieved by the American Tara Davis-Woodhall with 7.18 meters. The distances suggest a nail-biting event at the Stade de France. Mihambo eagerly anticipates the competition on August 8th, she shares. The native of Heidelberg competes as the reigning champion in Paris, where no triple jumper has won two consecutive Olympic titles. In general, only one triple jumper has secured two Olympic gold medals: Heike Drechsler won in 1992 and 2000. Already in 2022, this is a monumental accolade for her successor, which Mihambo considers "a phenomenon."
Last year, Mihambo had to skip the World Championship due to an injury. However, she became the world champion in 2022. However, at the European Championships in Munich, which took place just two weeks later, she lost her title and bagged a silver medal. She had talked about her limitations due to her COVID-19 infection later. But nowadays, she's back to full form. She does not plan on making a fourth attempt because of her health concerns. It's just precautionary; as in the competition, there are several jumps that need to be done in a short span of time, which can be quite taxing for the legs. She's perfectly fine and taking a break voluntarily. The other participants are jealous of her prowess.
A self-assured yet mild participant, Mihambo has the ability to maintain a laser-focus during competitions while simultaneously meditating. Currently, she's not giving it her all in training, as there are still eight weeks until the Olympic Games. "I'm excited to see where this will take me," she adds. And as a subtle threat to her opponents, she mentioned, "I'm quite confident that it will get even better."
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After her successful performance at the European Championships, Malaika Mihambo expresses her aspirations for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, stating that she plans to surpass her achievements yet again. At the European Championships, Mihambo's world-leading jump of 7.22 meters puts her in a strong position for the upcoming Athletics events, including the European Championships and the Olympic Games.
