Kambundji regains world indoor 60m title in Nanjing

Mujinga Kambundji won a thrilling 60m showdown to regain the 60m crown at the World Athletics Indoor Championships Nanjing 25 on Saturday (22).

The Swiss sprinter had finished 0.01 behind Italy's Zaynab Dosso at the European Indoor Championships earlier this month – Dosso winning in a world lead of 7.01 – but this time the roles reversed and Kambundji clocked 7.04 to hold off Dosso by 0.02.

Patrizia van der Weken finished third behind them in Apeldoorn and she did the same in Nanjing, making even more history for Luxembourg. Her bronze, secured in 7.07, is her nation's first ever world medal, indoors or out.

On the eve of the championships, Dosso explained the significance of her European indoor title win. “Mujinga is not just a great competitor for me but also a great inspiration and a person that I admire,” she said. “Being able to defeat her was also an inspiration.”

Kambundji’s performance in Nanjing was also inspired and it took the 32-year-old to the top of the world indoor podium for the second time, following her 60m win in Belgrade in 2022. This latest gold is her third world indoor medal overall, as she got bronze in 2018, and it adds to a CV that also features world 200m bronze from 2019 and two European 200m titles.

“I'm really happy, really relieved,” she said. “This was a lot like the Europeans. Zaynab was also coming from that, and I knew she was going to be fast. 

“This means a lot, for this title to come at this stage of my career. I see it with other sprinters, with the older sprinters – they are also motivating me a lot to see that they're still running PBs, and running really fast at 35, 36 years old. It shows me that my best time can still be ahead of me.”

While Kambundji said her technique “just felt off” in the earlier rounds, she used it as motivation for the final. She ran 7.20 to win her heat and 7.12 in her semifinal, compared to Dosso’s 7.09 heat win and 7.07 semifinal – those times leading each of the rounds.

Dosso was disappointed with her start in the final and while she very quickly made up ground she was passed by Kambundji in the closing stages.

“I'm pleased, but at the same time a little bit disappointed, because I know I can do better than this,” said Dosso. “In the 60m, you need a good start. I'm very curious to see what else I can deliver this summer, especially because I improved so much this season.”

Van der Weken is another athlete who has made great strides this season and her 7.07 for bronze is just 0.01 off the PB she set at the European Indoor Championships.

In Glasgow last year she achieved the best placing by an athlete from her country in the history of the World Indoor Championships. Now she has become Luxembourg’s first ever medallist on this world stage.

Jess Whittington for World Athletics