It was the course of her life: On Saturday, Ajla Del Ponte (25) was in the starting blocks of the Olympic finals in Tokyo. At the side of her compatriot Mujinga Kambundji (29), the Swiss stormed into the top of the world, conquered 5th place. Only the three Jamaicans around Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and the Ivorian Marie-Josée Ta Lou, except for the normal part of the sprint world Range, stayed ahead of the Swiss duo.
“I’m a girl who comes from a small village, and now I’m right at the front of the stage,” says Del Ponte with tears in his eyes after her run and tells of a special moment before the start. “Before the final, my brother sent me messages that really touched me,” says the woman from Ticino. «He told me to run with my heart. Free, as I did when I was a child in the forest. “
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Siblings Karim and Ajla Del Ponte: always close
Del Ponte has always been close to brother Karim (23), professional ice hockey player with the Ticino Rockets, the farm team of the National League club Ambri, and the siblings got along well at all ages. “We share everything,” said Karim in December 2020 to Blick. “We talk about any topic,” added Ajla, “movies, ice hockey, athletics, dating.” Dating? “Yes. Karim sometimes gives me tips. Sometimes I am amazed at what he advises – but he is mostly right. “
Obviously he found the right words even before his older sister’s big run. “He showed me once more the way I had to go to get here. It’s crazy. Now I’m the fifth best sprinter in the world. “
Ajla Del Ponte will get the next chance to inspire his brother and with him all of Sport Switzerland from Thursday with the 4x100m relay. My colleague Kambundji, on the other hand, is quickly back in action. On the night of Monday, the Bernese will already have prelims and semi-finals over 200m.