Mujinga Kambundji finishes third on the podium in the 100 m at the Athletissima in Lausanne. She was only beaten by Great Britain's Dina Asher-Smith and Tamari Davis from the USA.
22.08.2024, 22:54
22.08.2024, 23:37
SDA
Mujinga Kambundji crossed the finish line in a headwind of 0.4 m/s after 11.06 seconds, putting the Olympic sixth-placed athlete on the podium in the supreme discipline for the first time in the Diamond League. She was more than satisfied with her time, as she felt a certain tiredness after Paris and everything went less easily. She had no chance against Dina Asher-Smith (10.88) and Tamari Davis (10.97).
On Wednesday, Mujinga Kambundji announced that she had not had enough of athletics for a long time yet and that she could imagine taking part in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. She would then be 36 years old. Role models in sprinting show that this is possible, says Kambundji. These include Jamaican Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who won world championship gold in the 100 m in Eugene in 2022 at the age of 35.
"I still have the feeling that I can run better," said Kambundji, before emphasizing: "The older you get and the more you've experienced, the more you know that it's not a given that things will always work out." However, she learns a lot every year and can build on her experiences.
Kambundji naturally needs more rest than before, but "I'm now at a certain level faster. That's why things are going well." In addition, the greater routine in training helps her with a "similar basic structure". Knowing what to expect gives her more room for other things and makes training easier, Kambundji explains.
When an inflammation of the plantar fascia caused her problems last year, she completed many units on natural ground, which she kept for certain training sessions. This year, she skipped the indoor season and extended the build-up. She didn't run two days in a row as often in order to reduce the load. Her foot is still not 100 percent good, which is why she has to keep an eye on it. Nevertheless, she is planning another indoor season in 2025, as the outdoor World Championships in Tokyo will not take place until September.
The fact that Kambundji is not yet longing for a "normal" life also has to do with the fact that she is in Switzerland more than before. "That means I don't miss out on my other life." And she is already giving up a lot, in quotation marks, but for something she wants. Where does she see her potential over 100 and 200 m? "I can't answer that. However, I have already achieved much more than I could ever have imagined. That's why it's not the case that I still have to achieve this and that for me to be satisfied. I'm just trying to take as much as I can with me."
