Mihambo Secure Bronze at European Championships Amidst Disappointment

Malaika Mihambo, known for her mental strength, managed to smile alongside other medalists after achieving bronze in her final jump at the European Championships in Apeldoorn. However, the 31-year-old was disappointed not to win her first indoor title in long jump, having managed a jump of only 6.88 meters, while Italy’s Larissa Iapichino won with a jump just six centimeters farther.

“Overall, the competition was good, but below my potential. It leaves one feeling disappointed, but that’s the nature of sports. You can’t always be at the top, and a medal is still a medal,” Mihambo remarked. She had envisioned the competition going differently, having struggled with her jumps. Unlike recent meetings in Düsseldorf and Berlin, where different takeoff zones were used, the traditional board in the Netherlands posed a challenge for her.

Earlier in the event, Mihambo witnessed a concerning incident involving her teammate Mikaelle Assani, who fell hard during her run on the track. Assani, who finished eighth with a jump of 6.32 meters, was taken out of the hall in a wheelchair, and medical evaluations revealed a muscular injury in her hamstring.

In the triple jump, Max Heß, the outdoor European champion from 2016, also faced challenges. He achieved a jump of 17.43 meters but did not secure the anticipated indoor title, as Italy’s Andy Díaz Hernández surpassed him with a jump of 17.71 meters, marking a new world seasonal best. The 28-year-old Chemnitz native was content with his silver medal, especially after previously claiming four indoor bronze medals. “I wanted to improve towards my personal best and set a German record. While I didn’t fully achieve that, it was still a great result,” Heß commented.

In the heptathlon, Till Steinforth celebrated not only a bronze medal but also a new German record. With a total of 6,388 points, he surpassed the previous indoor best held by Leo Neugebauer, which was set last year in Boston. Steinforth finished third, just eight points ahead of his competitors, after the final 1,000 meters. “The German record was definitely the goal. I knew such a score was necessary to compete at the top level,” stated the 22-year-old from SV Halle. At the upcoming Olympics in Paris, Steinforth was recently nominated after finishing in 15th place, overshadowed by Neugebauer’s silver medal performance.