Saint-Denis, France, 5 August 2024 (dpa/MIA) — German long jump Olympic champion Malaika Mihambo is determined to pursue her medal goals despite battling illness before the Olympic Games.

Mihambo contracted the coronavirus in June directly after the European championships in Rome, where she won Germany's only gold medal with a world leading 7.22 metres.

"The Covid infection hasn't changed my goals for the Olympics," the 30-year-old told dpa.

While getting ready for the Olympics, she said she has been having trouble with her lungs and finding it harder to deal with physical stress.

"In the worst case, I'll have to get by with fewer than six attempts in Paris," Mihambo said.

Her coach, Ulli Knapp, has been adjusting her training programme to help her recover gradually. "It has been getting better week by week in small steps," Knapp said.

The qualification round is scheduled for Tuesday, with the medals being awarded on Thursday.

Mihambo, who won gold in 2021 and has two world titles, is viewed as Germany's biggest gold medal hope for Paris after decathlete Leo Neugebauer had won the silver medal in the decathlon on Saturday.

Two weeks ago, she won in London with a jump of 6.87 metres, completing only four jumps to avoid overstraining herself.

At the 2022 European championships, Mihambo won a silver medal after starting weakened following a corona infection.