Düsseldorf (AP) – Long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo jumped to victory on the sixth attempt at the Istaf Indoor athletics meeting in Düsseldorf.
With 6.96 meters, the 28-year-old from the LG Kurpfalz increased her best indoor performance this year and now leads the world best list for the year. Before her last attempt, Mihambo had 6.39 meters in the result list. “It just didn’t work out for five jumps, so the last one was all the better,” said the winner, who announced, despite this competition, that she wanted to end her indoor season after the German indoor championships on February 26th and 27th in Leipzig . “There is so much to do this year. I would like to save energy”.
Second was the Hungarian Diana Lesti with 6.53 meters. Merle Homeier, who was ahead of Mihambo at the Istaf Indoor in Berlin, jumped to fourth place with 6.39 meters.
Pole vaulter Bo Kanda Lita Baehre provided another highlight of the afternoon in front of 2650 spectators. Born in Düsseldorf, he crossed 5.81 meters and at the same time set the standard for the World Indoor Championships in Belgrade from March 18th to 20th. The athlete from TSV Bayer Leverkusen won ahead of Poland’s Piotr Lisek and the American Matt Ludwig, who both crossed 5.71 meters.