Mihambo is jumping for joy
Malaika Mihambo is building up a formidable resume. After winning European under-20 and under-23 titles in 2013 and 2015, she took European senior gold in 2018. The world title in Doha in 2019 followed. Then she claimed Olympic gold in Tokyo and now, in Eugene on Sunday (July 24), the 28-year-old has won another world title.
It wasn’t straightforward, though, as Ese Brume of Nigeria went into the lead with a 7.02m (1.1) jump in the third round.
Mihambo started the contest with two fouls too but got into her stride with a 6.98 third round jump and then went into the lead with 7.09m (0.4) in the fourth round and then extended this slightly to 7.12m (1.0) in the last round.
Brume took silver while Brazil’s Leticia Oro Melo earned bronze with a PB of 6.89m, just ahead of the host nation’s Quanesha Burks, who jumped 6.88m.
By this stage the British challenge had dissipated as Jazmin Sawyers and Lorraine Ugen managed 6.62m and 6.53m in the first three rounds, which left them ninth and tenth respectively.
“I am having some technical issues, just making the last two steps too long and then did faults,” said Mihambo. “But I knew that I could do it, that I could make a valid third attempt.”
Leading Brit Sawyers said: “I am gutted and I should be because I underperformed.”
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