Long jump Olympic champion and world champion Malaika Mihambo complained about health problems after winning the silver medal at the European Athletics Championships. After the competition and the TV interviews, the 28-year-old no longer appeared in the obligatory mixed zone because, according to the German Athletics Association (DLV), she had suffered a collapse.
Mihambo received medical care in the stadium and was looked after by her coach Ulli Knapp. At 0.30 a.m. on Friday night she was able to complete the doping test. The DLV announced that Mihambo was “better again”. Subject to the assessment of the doctors, she is expected to attend a press conference at the team hotel on Friday (2:30 p.m.).
In rainy weather and significantly cooler temperatures than in the past few days in the Olympic Stadium, Mihambo finished second with 7.03 meters in front of 31,000 spectators. The 2018 European champion was only three centimeters short of the victorious indoor world champion Ivana Vuleta from Serbia.
The German success guarantor of the past few years was not optimally prepared after a corona illness and a subsequent training break and only gave the green light for her participation four days before the qualification. Most recently, she had successfully defended her title from 2019 at the World Cup.
“I was able to contest such a good competition despite my corona infection. I definitely won silver and didn’t lose gold. It was a really good competition, but also a tough one. I had to fight,” Mihambo said before her breakdown. “It was nice to feel the spectators behind me, I felt so much support. It was fun jumping here today.”
On Thursday evening, the audience saw other highlights from a German perspective in addition to Mihambo’s silver medal with gold for Konstanze Klosterhalfen over 5000 meters and silver for Tobias Potye in the high jump. The two medal winners, as well as head coach Annett Stein, are also expected at the press conference at noon.
