Malaika Mihambo was crowned German Sportswoman of the Year for the third successive year on Sunday (19) at the traditional Kurhaus Gala in Baden-Baden.
Mihambo completed the set of major titles at the Tokyo Olympics this summer by winning gold in the long jump with a season’s best of 7.00m. This was her third major triumph in a row after winning gold at the 2018 European Championships in Berlin and the 2019 World Championships in Doha.
Mihambo becomes the first sportsperson to win this coveted award three times in a row since retired discus thrower Robert Harting (2012-14) and the first sportswoman to do so since Steffi Graf who won four titles between 1986-1989 and five in total.
Mihambo was the commanding favourite among the 980 sports journalists who submitted their votes. The 27-year-old topped the voting with 1845 points ahead of fellow Olympic champions Aline Rotter-Focken in wrestling (942) and Ricarda Funke in canoe slalom (686).
Tennis player Alexander Zverev, the Olympic champion and world ranked #3, won the men's equivalent.