This 1m65 young woman is immense. At 23, Ditaji Kambundji became world champion Monday evening at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, winning the 100m hurdles final by a pretty crazy margin.
She is only the third Swiss representative to win such a title in athletics, after Werner Günthör, world champion in the shot put in 1987, 1991 and 1993, then André Bucher, gold in the 800 m in 2001.
In total control this weekend during the series, brilliant second in her semi-final Monday at the start of the afternoon, the Bernese flew over the grand final in her lane 3 with a time of 12”24, the seventh best performance in history, improving by 16 hundredths her Swiss record which she had equaled at the end of August at the Weltklasse in Zurich.
Woman of big dates
This gigantic performance is the crowning achievement of a dizzying 2025 season for Mujinga’s little sister. In mid-March, Ditaji Kambundji won her first gold medal at elite level in the 60m hurdles during the European Indoor Championship. A few days later, she won the silver medal at the Indoor World Championships in Nanjing, China.
She was then asked how she managed to always be present at major events. “There is an element of instinct in that,” she explained. I tell myself that I have to run fast that day, not in two weeks. Everyone has this state of mind. But you still have to succeed in transposing it on the big day. The joy and adrenaline of a Championship is always very special. I love it.”
Concentrated but relaxed at the same time, with a smile just before the start, Ditaji Kambundji was well ahead of world record holder Tobi Amusan (12”29) and the American Grace Stark (12”34). At first in disbelief after crossing the finish line, she burst into tears when discovering her feat.
The evening promised to be beautiful for the double European medalist (silver in 2024, bronze in 2022), her family, and her coach Florian Clivaz.
Also read: our interview with Ditaji Kambundji in mid-March.
