“This is worth much more than …”
Malaika Mihambo “gifts” herself with a rare zero score
After her long injury break, the indoor season is just a stopover for Malaika Mihambo. Nevertheless, she is annoyed that she was unable to make a valid jump at the ISTAF Indoor in Düsseldorf. Nevertheless, the Olympic long jump champion takes something positive out of the competition.
Malaika Mihambo struggled with her approach at the ISTAF Indoor in Düsseldorf and ended up with no valid attempt. One day after her 30th birthday, the Olympic champion had nothing to celebrate in front of 6,350 fans; instead, the former world champion sat disappointed in the sand after her last invalid attempt. Around two weeks ago, she started the Olympic year with 6.65 meters in Dortmund, but this time a “salto nullo” ended up in the statistics.
“It's a shame that it didn't work out. I just didn't quite follow the approach pattern that I should have,” said Mihambo at the Sportschau microphone. “But I'm glad that there's so much potential after the injury. And that's worth a lot more than a competition of 6.60 meters if I knew I couldn't do any more.” That's why she's “completely relaxed.” Mihambo sustained a muscle injury at the German championships last summer and was subsequently unable to defend her world championship title in Budapest.
Germany's two-time Sportswoman of the Year will also be competing indoors at the German Championships in Leipzig (February 17/18) and at the ISTAF Indoor on February 23 in Berlin. Mihambo is not planning to compete at the Indoor World Championships in Glasgow (March 1 to 3) in view of the Olympics in Paris (July 26 to August 11). “For me, the indoor season is just a stopover. Of course, it is very important for preparation, but the highlight is the outdoor season,” said Mihambo, who was “very confident” about the highlights in the summer.
For local hero Bo Kanda Lita Baehre, the comeback also went anything but as planned. The European vice-champion in pole vault failed three times at his initial height of 5.40 meters in his first competition after his meniscus injury and thus, like Mihambo, did not have a valid attempt.
