Malaika Mihambo and Co. want to gain momentum for the World Championships at the German Championships, but who is supposed to get the medals in Budapest? Much speaks for a similar debacle as in the previous year.
Johannes cousin. Konstanze Klosterhalfen. And even Malaika Mihambo is still weak. Before the finals, the German athletics elite is in crisis, six weeks before the World Cup the next endurance test is on the program in Kassel. In front of a full ranks, Mihambo and Co. now want to gain momentum in the Auestadion.
“Full throttle,” said Mihambo about her motto for the German championships. Because of a bad cold in preparation, the Olympic champion and world champion is still looking for her form. Curious: With her 6.66 m, Mihambo is currently only number three in Germany. However, as the defending champion, the 29-year-old does not have to worry about her participation in the World Cup.
“The fact that I’ve already qualified for the World Championships doesn’t affect my preparation,” said Mihambo: “I have to stay focused. There are a lot of girls who jump very well and the competition is very big, so I have to I prepare well.”
At the World Championships in Budapest, Mihambo is aiming for her gold triple, but of course it won’t happen by itself. And a year after Eugene’s debacle, the big question is: Who should actually get the medals? The candidates are few and far between, but there are many problem children.
No renewed World Cup debacle expected
Former world champion and javelin record holder Vetter has to pass injured for Kassel and threatens to fail again for the World Cup like last year. Running ace Klosterhalfen, meanwhile with a new trainer, is puzzling over her poor performance in Stockholm over 5000 m, in Kassel the European champion is “only” over 800 m at the start. Rio Olympic champion Thomas Röhler is also out of shape, as is ex-European champion Christin Hussong (both spear).
The World Cup will certainly not be a celebration for the DLV, but head coach Annett Stein does not expect another debacle either. “What I can promise you is that the team will be more productive,” said Stein. A new “performance confirmation standard” was introduced for this purpose in the nomination process. “For us, this is the guarantee that we will nominate athletes who, in an international context, are not capable of winning a medal, but are capable,” said Stein, and then “fight for entry into the final or semi-final. And not right away in the first round will be eliminated.”
Sprinter Gina Lückenkemper also dreams of the 100 m final, the European champion got off to a strong start to the season. The decathletes around the new German record holder Leo Neugebauer and discus thrower Kristin Pudenz also have hopes for even more. And of course Julian Weber. The European javelin champion is bursting with self-confidence and regularly delivers top distances. Weber wants to throw “over 90 meters” in Kassel, but the hope is much more important: “The main goal is to be in perfect shape at the World Cup.”
And that also applies to Mihambo and Co.