Surprise Pregnancy News Forces Track and Field Champion to Make Major Decision Over Career Plans

Mujinga Kambundji’s known for explosive starts, blazing sprints, and making stadiums rise to their feet. But this time, her most important race won’t end with a medal. One of Europe’s most celebrated sprinters is stepping off the track. Not due to injury or defeat. But because life has handed her a brand-new finish line.

Switzerland’s sprinting sensation wanted to have a great track season. She wanted to compete in the upcoming Worlds and establish her dominance as a daunting figure. However, that will not be the case as of now. Kambundji will have to wait further to focus on her track goals. Thus, she has announced the early end to her 2025 season for a joyful reason. 

As a matter of fact, Kambundji is expecting her first child. Taking to Instagram to break the news, Kambundji wrote, “Season’s over, for the most beautiful reason I’m incredibly happy to share that our little miracle is on the way! I’m so grateful for this new adventure and already looking forward to returning to the track in 2026 Big thanks to my team, partners and everyone who’s part of the journey! ” The 32-year-old, who has carried Swiss hopes in the 100 and 200 meters for over a decade, will miss the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo. Yet this isn’t a goodbye. Just a powerful pause.

Kambundji had sensed the shift even before the official decision. Her body was quietly signaling change. Despite being medically cleared to compete, she admits that racing no longer felt the same. Her spring appearances in Xiamen and Doha, where she finished last in both events, were more revealing than any test result. “I simply lack substance in races,” she shared in an earlier presser. Trusting those instincts, she and her medical team opted to call time on this season. Tokyo was supposed to be the highlight. But motherhood is now her main event.

Still, Kambundji isn’t shutting the door on competition. She plans to maintain a modified training routine to stay fit, with her eyes on a return in 2026. The defending European champion in the 200 meters hopes to reclaim that title in Birmingham. And beyond that? The 2028 Olympics remain firmly in her sights. For now, though, the champion sprinter is embracing a different kind of journey. One where patience and joy set the pace.

Mujinga Kambundji charts her comeback by following sprinting supermoms

Mujinga Kambundji isn’t just eyeing a return. She’s designing it with precision, inspired by women who’ve turned motherhood into a launchpad rather than a finish line. With her sights set on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, the Swiss sprint star is drawing from a powerful playbook written by sprinting legends Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Nia Ali, two women who redefined what it means to compete at the top after becoming mothers.

Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s post-motherhood dominance lit the path. Winning two of her five 100m world titles after giving birth, she clocked a staggering 10.60 seconds at age 35, her personal best. “They have proven in recent years what is possible and feasible as a mother, despite their advanced sprinting age,” Kambundji said, expressing her admiration. These aren’t just statistics for her, they’re signals of what’s still achievable.

Yet it’s Nia Ali’s journey that resonates most deeply. After giving birth to her second child, Ali surged to a world title in the 100m hurdles just 16 months later. She became faster with each child, recording her best time of 12.30 seconds as a mother of three. For Mujinga Kambundji, it’s not just about resilience, it’s about strategic reinvention. “You can combine family and top sporting performance with the right environment and good organization,” she said. That conviction is fueling her comeback not just as a sprinter, but as a future mother who’s unwilling to let a medal dream remain unfinished.

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