Gina Lückenkemper’s Indoor Season Abruptly Ends Due to Hamstring Injury
German sprinter Gina Lückenkemper, the former 100-meter European champion, has been forced to prematurely end her indoor season due to a muscle injury in her right thigh. The news casts a shadow over the upcoming Istaf Indoor meeting in Berlin, where Lückenkemper was expected to compete.
The setback occurred during the preliminary round of the Istaf Indoor event in Düsseldorf last Sunday. The injury will sideline Lückenkemper for several weeks, ruling her out of the Indoor European Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, scheduled for March.
Lückenkemper’s withdrawal from the indoor circuit is a significant blow to her preparation for the outdoor season and the Olympic Games in Paris later this year. The sprinter had been in impressive form, setting personal bests in both the 60-meter and 200-meter events this year.
Malaika Mihambo’s Return to Competition Hampered by Illness
Joining Lückenkemper on the sidelines is long jump star Malaika Mihambo. The 31-year-old German athlete, who battled a COVID-19 infection during the Paris Olympics last year, has now been sidelined by a short-term illness. Mihambo’s withdrawal from the Istaf Indoor event in Berlin comes as a disappointment to fans who were eagerly anticipating her return to competition.
Mihambo had made a promising start to the 2025 indoor season, winning meetings in Dortmund, Düsseldorf, and Karlsruhe. At the latter event, she set a world-leading mark of 7.07 meters in the long jump.
Mihambo’s absence from the Istaf Indoor meeting highlights the challenges athletes face in maintaining their health and fitness throughout the demanding indoor and outdoor track and field seasons.
Impact on the Istaf Indoor Meeting
The withdrawals of Lückenkemper and Mihambo from the Istaf Indoor meeting will undoubtedly diminish the star power of the event. However, the organizers remain confident that the competition will showcase the talents of other world-class athletes.
Among those expected to compete in Berlin are the reigning world indoor champion in the 60-meter hurdles, Grant Holloway of the United States, and the reigning European indoor champion in the high jump, Mateusz Przybylko of Germany.
Outlook for the Outdoor Season
Despite their current setbacks, both Lückenkemper and Mihambo remain focused on achieving their goals for the outdoor season. Lückenkemper will hope to regain her fitness in time to compete at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August, while Mihambo will aim to defend her Olympic title in Paris.
The outdoor season will provide both athletes with an opportunity to demonstrate their resilience and determination as they pursue success at the highest level of track and field.
