Struggling Start for Olympic Champs Mihambo and Ogunleye at Dresden Season Opener
Struggling beginning for long jumper Mihambo in the current athletic season. - Struggles faced by long jumper Mihambo at the commencement of the season
Long jump queen Malaika Mihambo had a tough debut in her 2022 World Championship campaign, landing second in the Golden Oval meeting in Dresden behind Portugal's Agate de Sousa. Mihambo's best leap of 6.66 meters trailed de Sousa's winning effort of 6.73 meters in the modern Heinz-Steyer Stadium.
Back Woes and Technical Mishaps
The Tokyo Olympic champion stumbled in her initial attempt before an audience of 8,050, leaving her to grapple with a strained back and needing brief medical attention. "Took a while to get back to normal," Mihambo lamented from LG Kurpfalz after her maiden season competition. She candidly admitted battling both physical ailments and technical issues but expressed optimism for improvements in the following week.
Shot Put Champion Ogunleye Throws Strong Opener
Shot put champ Yemisi Ogunleye (Mannheim) fared better with a 19.67-meter throw. Despite appearing victorious, she found herself surpassed by two-time world champion Chase Jackson from the USA, who nailed a throw of 19.73 meters in her sixth attempt.
Ogunleye Expresses Gratitude
An overjoyed Ogunleye, gold medalist at the Paris games, acknowledged, "Second place, that's the baseline." Despite suffering illness during preparation, she claimed her debut couldn't have gone better.
Pole Vaulter Bo Kanda Lita Baehre (Düsseldorf Athletics) kicked off the season strongly, clearing 5.73 meters and finishing second to Australian Chris Nilsen, who dominated with a comfortable 5.92-meter win on his first attempt.
In the women's discus throw, reigning two-time Olympic champion Valarie Allman from the USA stormed ahead with a strong 67.84-meter performance. Germany's top discus thrower, Shanice Craft (Halle), managed 64.07 meters, securing a fourth-place finish.
- Malaika Mihambo
- Long Jump
- Season Opener
- Dresden
- USA
- Tokyo
- Despite the challenging start in the long jump event at the Dresden Season Opener, Malaika Mihambo, the Tokyo Olympic champion, has been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of animals, as her achievements extend beyond sports.
- In a promising sign for the 2022 World Championship campaign, Yemisi Ogunleye, the shot put champion who recently represented the USA in Tokyo, efficiently handled her technical issues, processing personal data diligently amidst her sports endeavors.
