Long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo has reconsidered her training plans after the triumph in Tokyo and postponed her trip to the USA to see athletics legend Carl Lewis in the fall.

Instead, she wants to intensify the cooperation with national coach Uli Knapp, who had also prepared the 27-year-old for the games in Japan.

"The situation is still difficult, entry is not possible at the moment," said Mihambo at a reception by her hometown club TSV Oftersheim on Monday about the trip to Houston for nine-time Olympic champion Lewis, originally planned for summer 2020.

"But some things have changed for me after the Olympic victory."

"Interpersonal good"

She is “very happy” about working with Knapp, they get along “well with others” and are “on the same wavelength when it comes to coaching”.

She wanted to "stay in the region," said Mihambo.

"Nevertheless, I also want to travel, get to know other training centers and Houston will definitely be a component in this construct." Knapp should accompany her if possible.

In September, Mihambo will start at the Diamond League meeting in Zurich and the Istaf in Berlin, after which she will go on vacation. After her gold medals at European Championships, World Championships and Olympics, is she still targeting the German long jump record of Heike Drechsler, who jumped 7.48 meters 33 years ago? "I definitely want to see how far I can jump and push my limits," said Mihambo, whose personal best is 7.30 meters. “But a lot has to come together for 7.48 meters, you have to stay healthy. So now it is not something that you already reckon with in your head. If I manage to do that at some point, I would be happy. ”But first of all,“ personal development ”is important.

The long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo would like better financial security for top talents in sports funding. “It would be nice if the sport offered more perspective. The most important thing is to create enough options for young athletes not to have to make a decision, ”said the 27-year-old at a reception from her home club TSV Oftersheim. It is often "difficult to strike the balance between good academic performance and athletic success," explained Mihambo. She knows "someone who has decided on training and a secure income" and could never have found out whether it would have been enough for the top, said the Heidelberg woman, who started her career at the summer games in Tokyo after winning the European Championship and Had crowned World Cup gold with the Olympic victory.