Malaika Mihambo has been a constant face in global women’s long jump for a decade, in that time winning an Olympic gold, two World Championship golds, and two European Championship golds.
But here are 10 things you may not know about the German who will defend her long jump title at the Birmingham 2026 European Athletics Championships from 10-16 August.
Overcoming racism
Mihambo, of German and Tanzanian heritage, experienced racism from early childhood, including at school.
She has detailed how that experience shaped her mindset and encouraged her journey into sport as a way to understand other people.
Biography ‘Jump Free’
In 2023, a biography about the German was published that explores Mihambo’s journey to the top of the sport.
From her first experiences in sport, to how she travelled the world and became involved in social issues, the book details many aspects of the European champion’s life.
Starting athletics from young
Mihambo joined her current athletics club, TSV Oftersheim, at just three-years-old having been training in judo and ballet.
She was ‘discovered’ by an athletics coach during a holiday programme and was invited to join the club for regular athletics training.
First international title
Mihambo has built an impressive collection of hardware, but her first international title came 13 years ago at the Rieti 2013 European Athletics U20 Championships.
She jumped 6.70m to take the gold ahead of Great Britain's Jazmin Sawyers in second with 6.63m and Ukraine's Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk who completed the podium with 6.44m.
Malaika’s Heart Leap
With her passion for sport stemming from her time at school, Mihambo is passionate about ensuring primary school children can continue their sporting interests beyond school.
She founded ‘ Malaika’s Heart Leap’ in 2020 that works with schools across Germany to help make sure children have the financial means to participate in sport outside of school.
The programme provides at least a one year membership for primary school students to an athletics club in their local area.
Former multi eventer
Before specialising in long jump, Mihambo was a multi eventer until the age of 16-years-old.
She then specialised in the long jump although she still occasionally races in the sprint events, particularly over the 60m indoors in which she has an eye-catching lifetime best of 7.22.
Special Barbie doll
In 2020 Mihambo was given her own one-of-a-kind Barbie modelled on her, becoming one of less than 100 people at the time to have been given the honour.
Other women in athletics who have also had a one-of-a-kind Barbie made of them include Poles Anita Wlodarczyk and Ewa Swoboda and Great Britain's European 100m champion Dina Asher-Smith.
Studying and competing
Alongside competing at the elite level, Mihambo has taken pride in studying and furthering her interests beyond sport.
She graduated from the University of Mannheim in 2016 after studying political science, and also started studying towards a post graduate degree in environmental sciences at University of Hagen.
Balancing mental and physical health
For Mihambo, reaching your best isn’t about pushing beyond your limits every day but instead she believes the key is to reach your limits and save going past them for competitions.
Thinking about what you want to achieve, what you want to be, how you feel now and how you want to feel in the future is also how Mihambo balances her mental health as an athlete.
A missed connection
After winning the world title in Doha in 2019, Malaika Mihambo was due to link up with legendary long jumper and sprinter Carl Lewis in Houston.
However, the ongoing challenges posed by coronavirus in 2020 and 2021 kiboshed this partnership and Mihambo stayed in Germany under the tutelage of Uwe Knapp, a partnership which yielded Olympic gold at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as well as a second World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon.