Malaika Mihambo had been competing and succeeding in school and youth long jump events from an early age. After taking part in and winning the U20 and U23 European Championships, she transitioned seamlessly into the adult arena. But, at the age of 20, she started to experience minor injuries that interfered with her sporting aspirations. “She’d struggled with her diet for some time,” observes her coach, Ralf Weber, “so I suggested working with a nutritionist to try different forms of supplementation and protein preparations.” The hoped-for success was not, however, forthcoming. At the beginning of 2016, Malaika suffered from problems with the patellar tendons in both knees. Yet, after months of conservative therapy and cross training, Malaika qualified for the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. There, with a personal best jump of 6.95 m, she landed in fourth place.