Mujinga Kambundji is proud that she finished sixth in the 100 m in Paris, as she did at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. "I'm very happy," she says.
03.08.2024, 23:20
03.08.2024, 23:32
SDA
It started to rain shortly before the final, but for Mujinga Kambundji it was all sunshine after the race. Although she was just seven hundredths of a second short of the podium, she was completely satisfied. "I'm really proud and also happy with the run, I'm delighted to have come so close to the medal," said the 32-year-old from Bern. Fifteen years ago it was more of a dream than a goal to be in an Olympic final in the 100 m, as it was not realistic at the time.
Now Mujinga Kambundji has achieved this for the second time after Tokyo 2021. "Tokyo was already incredible, so to be able to experience this in front of an audience is mega nice." Three years ago, spectators were not allowed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Kambundji adds: "You might think that the pressure would be a bit off because I'd already reached the final once, but that wasn't the case."
Rollercoaster ride of emotions
So she was very tense before the semi-final. And it didn't get any better after the run, as she was third and not one of the two skiers directly qualified for the final. After that, two more series were on the program. In the end, 11.05 seconds was enough to progress. "I was very nervous, then I was really happy. It was a rollercoaster ride," said Mujinga Kambundji, describing her feelings on the hot seat.
She was then able to enjoy the final. She tackled it with the motto "just run and see what comes out". Despite the less than ideal conditions, she ran 10.99 seconds, her second-best time this year after 10.90 seconds in La Chaux-de-Fonds, which has to be put into perspective due to the height there. She was one tenth off her own Swiss record.
Despite the rollercoaster ride of emotions and the short recovery time - there were 90 minutes between her semi-final run and the final - Kambundji managed to find the right focus, i.e. to be in the desired flow. "I didn't realize very much about the race, only after 70, 80 meters did I notice something." Although she heard the helicopter circling over the stadium before the start, she only noticed it for a tenth of a second.
Ready to the point once again
Kambundji was also proud that she once again managed to be ready when it counted. Because her start to the season was tough, or as she put it: "There were a lot of competitions that were very frustrating this year." However, at the first highlight of the season, the European Championships in Rome in June, she won the 200 m title and has now reached the Olympic final again in the supreme discipline.
However, Kambundji does not have much time to regenerate, as the preliminary heats over the half track lap are scheduled for Sunday from 10.55 am. She is in the second of six series. "That's fine. It's the same for others. I'll have time between the heats and the semi-final." In Tokyo, she also reached the final in the 200 m (7th), so the goal is clear.
