Mujinga Kambundji

1.1. Birth and family

Mujinga Kambundji was born on 17 June 1992 in Bern, Switzerland. Her father, Safuka, is of Congolese descent, and her mother, Ruth, is Bernese. Mujinga is the second of four children. She stands at 5.5 ft ^{(1.68 m)} tall and weighs 143 lb ^{(65 kg)}. Her younger sister, Ditaji Kambundji, is also an accomplished international athlete who has represented Switzerland at major competitions, including the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The Kambundji family's involvement in athletics began with their eldest sister, Kaluanda, who was the first to enroll in a track program, followed by Mujinga, then Muswama, and finally Ditaji.

1.2. Early athletic involvement and training

Kambundji began her athletic career training with the ST Bern athletics club. During her formative years, she was initially coached by Jacques Cordey. In the autumn of 2013, she transitioned her training base to Mannheim, Germany, where she began working under coach Valerij Bauer, alongside notable athletes such as former European champion Verena Sailer. This move marked a significant step in her development as a sprinter.

2.1. Early career (2009-2010)

Kambundji's international debut in 2009 saw her win a silver medal in the 100 metres and a gold medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay at the European Youth Olympic Festival. In the same year, she secured gold medals in both the 100 metres and 200 metres at the Swiss championships. Her performance led to her being recognized as the Swiss Athlete of the Year by the Swiss Athletics Association.

In 2010, Kambundji continued her strong performance, winning the 200 metres in the Second League of the European Athletics Team Championships. She also set a new Swiss Under-20 (U20) record in the event at the U20 World Championships, further cementing her status as a rising talent.

2.2. Development and national/international activity (2013-2017)

This period saw Kambundji's continued growth and increasing presence at major international events. After relocating to Mannheim in 2013 to train under Valerij Bauer, her performances began to reflect her development.

At the 2014 European Athletics Championships held in Zürich, Switzerland, Kambundji demonstrated significant improvement. She broke her own national record in the heats and semi-finals of the 100 metres competition, ultimately finishing fourth in the final. Following this, she competed in the 200 metres final, where she finished fifth and broke Regula Aebi's 26-year-old national record for the event.

In 2016, Kambundji qualified for the Swiss team at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. She advanced to the semi-finals in both the 100 metres and 200 metres events. Earlier that year, she had achieved a bronze medal in the 100 metres competition at the European Championships in Amsterdam.

During the 2017 World Championships in London, Kambundji finished tenth in the 100 metres competition. In the 4 × 100 metres relay event, she and her teammates, Ajla Del Ponte, Sarah Atcho, and Salomé Kora, set a new national record in the semi-finals before securing a fifth-place finish in the final.

2.3. Breakthrough on the world stage (2018-2022)

This period marked Kambundji's ascent to significant medal-winning performances at global championships.

At the 2018 World Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Kambundji secured a bronze medal by finishing third in the 60 metres final. Later that year, at the European Championships in Berlin, she achieved fourth-place finishes in the 100 metres, 200 metres, and the 4 × 100 metres relay, where she competed alongside Ajla Del Ponte, Sarah Atcho, and Salomé Kora.

In 2019, Kambundji earned a bronze medal in the 200 metres at the World Championships held in Doha, Qatar. Her outstanding performances led to her being named the Swiss Sports Personality of the Year for 2019.

The delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics saw Kambundji reach the finals in both the 100 metres and 200 metres sprints, finishing sixth and seventh respectively. She was also a crucial part of the Swiss 4 × 100 metres relay team that placed fourth in the final.

Kambundji achieved a career highlight at the 2022 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Belgrade, where she won the gold medal in the 60 metres with a time of 6.96 seconds. This performance positioned her as the joint fourth-fastest woman of all time in the event, achieved remarkably from lane eight, and marked the fastest time recorded over the distance since 1999. In December of the same year, she received her second recognition as the Swiss Sportswoman of the Year. On 19 August 2022, Kambundji further solidified her dominance by winning the gold medal in the 200 metres at the European Athletics Championships in Munich, clocking 22.32 seconds. This gold followed her silver medal in the 100 metres three days prior, where she finished with a time of 10.99 seconds, placing second to Germany's Gina Lückenkemper.

2.4. Recent activities (2023 onwards)

In 2023, Kambundji continued her success at the European Athletics Indoor Championships in Istanbul, securing another gold medal in the 60 metres with a time of 7.00 seconds, setting a new Championship Record. Later that year, at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, she reached the semi-finals of the 100 metres, finishing 13th with a time of 11.04 seconds, which was her season best.

Her recent activities in 2024 include participation in the European Athletics Championships in Rome, where she finished eighth in the 100 metres with 11.15 seconds but remarkably won another gold medal in the 200 metres with 22.49 seconds. At the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, Kambundji reached the final of the 100 metres, finishing sixth with 10.99 seconds. She also competed in the 200 metres, placing 11th in the semi-finals with 22.63 seconds, and was part of the Swiss 4 × 100 metres relay team that finished sixth in their heat with 42.36 seconds, though they did not advance to the final.

2.5. Training and coaching changes

Mujinga Kambundji's career has seen several key changes in her coaching staff, each influencing her training approach and performance trajectory. Early in her career, she trained with the ST Bern athletics club under coach Jacques Cordey. In the autumn of 2013, she made a significant move to Mannheim to train with Valerij Bauer, who coached her until 2017.

Towards the end of 2017, Kambundji announced her intention to work with Dutch coach Henk Kraaijenhof. However, this partnership was short-lived, concluding after only two months. Following this brief collaboration, she transitioned to working with Adrian Rothenbühler, who served as her coach for five years until November 2022. This period coincided with many of her major international breakthroughs. Since November 2022, her partner, Florian Clivaz, a former sprinter himself, has taken over as Kambundji's coach, marking the latest change in her long-term training strategy.

3.1. Personal bests

Kambundji holds several Swiss national records across various sprint disciplines.

3.2. International competition medals and major results

Kambundji has earned numerous medals at various international championships, showcasing her consistency and top-tier performance.

¹Did not finish in the final.

3.3. Circuit wins and national titles

Kambundji has achieved victories in prestigious circuit events and holds numerous national titles in Switzerland.

• Diamond League (4 × 100 metres relay wins, other events specified in parentheses)
  • 2013: Lausanne Athletissima
  • 2015: Lausanne Athletissima
  • 2017: Lausanne Athletissima
  • 2018: Lausanne Athletissima
  • 2021: Eugene Prefontaine Classic (200 m)
  • 2022 (2): Stockholm Bauhaus-Galan (Meeting Record), Lausanne Athletissima
• World Athletics Continental Tour (200 metres wins, other specified in parentheses)
  • 2021: Bellinzona Galà dei Castelli
• World Athletics Indoor Tour (60 metres wins, other events specified in parentheses)
  • 2023: Toruń Copernicus Cup

  Her national titles include:

  • Swiss Athletics Championships (19 titles)
    • 100 metres: 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
    • 200 metres: 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019
  • Swiss Indoor Athletics Championships (9 titles)
    • 60 metres indoor: 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023
    • 200 metres indoor: 2011

3.4. Awards and recognition

Mujinga Kambundji has received notable personal awards for her achievements in athletics:

• 2019
  • Swiss Sports Personality of the Year
• 2022
  • Swiss Sports Personality of the Year