As a favorite, Malaika Mihambo traveled to the World Athletics Championships in Doha, leaving with world championship gold. What happened in between, however, was much more dramatic. In the first attempt she landed at 6.52 meters, the second was invalid. When it came to everything, she jumped to 7.30 meters and thus to victory. With that, Mihambo again increased her own world annual distance of 7.16 meters and is now in second place behind Heike Drechsler (7.48 meters) in the "eternal" German leaderboard.
Here are the international press comments on the competition:
USA
"The New York Times": " Malaika Mihambo put everything on a map when she sailed for World Championship gold on Sunday - with a jump that she herself says will never be repeated." Mihambo needed something special, to stay in the top eight and thus in the title race and she did this and more as she delivered the leap of the year. "
ITALY
"Gazzetta dello Sport": "Gigant Mihambo! Undefeated in the open-air season, she could not fail: the German Malaika Mihambo will live up to expectations with a 7.30-meter monster in the third attempt, leaving no questions unanswered."
SPAIN
"Marca": "Malaika Mihambo, who almost did not make it to the finals after a short jump and an invalid attempt, won her gold by a wide margin - the first for her country since the incredible Heike Drechsler."
"AS": The German flew to 7.30 meters, the record of the season and the largest distance since 2016, and that was no more and no less than enough to win gold at the World Championships in Doha.