The Kambundji sisters
March 2025 was fairly a month for 2 Kambundji sisters. Because you requested there are the truth is 4 Kambundji sisters. Kaluanda (the eldest at 33) and Muswama (third) had been each nationwide stage runners with Mujinga (now 32) and Ditaji (22) elite athletes. Father, Safuka, is from Congo and the ladies’ mom Ruth is Swiss.
Mujinga has been operating quick for a number of years – indoors and out. She reached two Olympic 100m finals (Tokyo and Paris) coming sixth in every. She was third within the 2019 World Championship 200m in Doha. She has received the 200m within the European Championships twice (2022 and 2024) in addition to medalling at 100 in 2016 and 2022. Indoors she received the World title in Belgrade in 2022 in 6.96 in addition to successful the European title in 2023 in 7.00.
Ditaji took bronze within the 2022 European Championship 100m hurdles in 12.74 and received the title two years later in 12.40. In 2023 she was 7th within the World dash hurdles last.
Then got here March 2025 by which – as we nonetheless play catch-up from COVID – there have been European and World Indoor Champs simply two weeks aside. On the Europeans in Apeldoorn, Netherlands Ditaje received the 60m hurdles in 7.67 with Mujinga coming second within the 60m dash in 7.02. Then after a short break in Switzerland it was off to Nanjing, China for the World Indoors. Mujinga received the 60m in 7.04, paradoxically slower than the time within the Europeans.
Skrzyszowska, POL, bronze, Apeldoorn2025, picture by Sona Maleterova
Ditaji received the European Indoor 60m hurdles in 6.67 for a European file and world lead. In Nanjing her 7.73 left her one hundredth of a second behind Devynne Charlton.
The connection between the sisters was a focal point after their races. After her win within the World Indoor last, Mujinga was requested if her win was meant to say to Ditaji “I’m nonetheless the massive sister. I’m nonetheless in cost”. She laughed and mentioned it was extra “I’ve received my race now it’s your flip!” Mujinga defined how the sisters helped one another: “It’s a lot nicer to journey along with her. I all the time share a room along with her at championships and it’s good to have certainly one of my finest pals, my sister, with me. After which simply generally to see her younger, contemporary method. We’re actually related however then actually totally different as a result of she’s 10 years youthful and it’s simply good to see somebody with extra freshness. It’s simply so motivating additionally for me to see her doing nice issues. It’s simply so good”.
Requested to elaborate on what she meant by “freshness” Mujinga mentioned of Ditaji “I simply suppose it’s like ‘simply run and have enjoyable, simply take pleasure in it and simply attempt to do your finest’. I used to be additionally like this however I modified after all and I’m 10 years older but it surely’s simply good to see how she’s rather a lot like me but additionally going her personal approach and doing a whole lot of issues totally different. And she or he is lot higher than I used to be 10 years in the past, so I’m actually, actually proud.
Within the subsequent articles we’ll hear how the sisters considered their achievements
