Ditaji Kambundji

Ditaji Kambundji

Kambundji as a medalist of the 2023 European Indoor Championships
Personal information
Born	(2002-05-20) 20 May 2002 (age 22) Bern, Switzerland[1]
Height	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)[2]
Weight	57 kg (126 lb)[2]
Sport
Country	Switzerland
Sport	Athletics
Event	100 metres hurdles
Club	STB Leichtathletik
Coached by	Florian Clivaz (2022— ) Adrian Rothenbühler (2017—2022) [3]
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	60 m hurdles: 7.81 (St. Gallen 2023) NR 100 m hurdles: 12.40 (Rome 2024) NR
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  Switzerland European Championships 2024 Rome 100 m hurdles 2022 Munich 100 m hurdles European Indoor Championships 2023 Istanbul 60 m hurdles European U23 Championships 2023 Espoo 100 m hurdles European U20 Championships 2021 Tallinn 100 m hurdles Youth Olympic Festival 2019 Baku 100 m hurdles

Ditaji Kambundji (born 20 May 2002)^[4] is a Swiss athlete specialising in the sprint hurdles. She won the bronze medal in the 100 metres hurdles at the 2022 European Championships and bronze for the 60 metres hurdles at the 2023 European Indoor Championships.

Kambundji was the 100 m hurdles 2021 European under-20 champion and 2023 European U23 champion. She competed in the event at the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021.^[5] She is the Swiss indoor record holder for the 60 m hurdles and outdoor 100 m hurdles. She is also a six-time national champion.

Early life and family

Ditaji Kambundji was born on 20 May 2002 in Bern to a Congolese father, Safuka, and a Swiss mother, Ruth.^[6] She is the last of four children. Her older sister is Swiss sprinter Mujinga Kambundji.^[7]

Ditaji grew up watching her siblings excel in athletics. She spent a majority of her time going to her sisters' competitions and cheering them on, which naturally influenced her to follow in their footsteps. She gives credit to her sisters for laying the path for her and making it easier when she finally joined their track club. She tried different disciplines at first before gravitating toward the hurdles.^[8]

Both Ditaji and Mujinga enjoy gardening, as well as taking care of plants, when they are not competing.^[8]

Statistics

16-years-old Kambundji races at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.

Personal bests

• 60 m hurdles – 7.81 (St. Gallen 2023) NR
• 60 metres indoor – 7.31 (Magglingen 2023)

• 100 m hurdles – 12.47 (0.0 m/s, Bern 2023) NR
• 100 metres – 11.47 (+1.3 m/s, Langenthal 2022)

International competitions

Representing  Switzerland

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Time
2018	European U18 Championships	Győr, Hungary	7th	100 mH (76.2cm)	13.77
	Youth Olympic Games	Buenos Aires, Argentina	14th	100 mH (76.2cm)	tot. 28.42
2019	Youth Olympic Festival	Baku, Azerbaijan	3rd	100 mH (76.2cm)	13.63
2021	European Indoor Championships	Toruń, Poland	11th (sf)	60 mH i	8.07
	European Team Championships, 1st League	Cluj-Napoca, Romania	4th	100 mH	12.98
	European U20 Championships	Tallinn, Estonia	1st	100 mH	13.03
			– (f)	4 × 100 m relay	DNF
	Olympic Games	Tokyo, Japan	33rd (h)	100 mH	13.17
	World U20 Championships	Nairobi, Kenya	– (f)	100 mH	DQ
2022	World Indoor Championships	Belgrade, Serbia	– (f)	60 mH i	DNF
	World Championships	Eugene, OR, United States	13th (sf)	100 mH	12.70
	European Championships	Munich, Germany	3rd	100 mH	12.74 PB
2023	European Indoor Championships	Istanbul, Turkey	3rd	60 mH i	7.00 CR
	European Team Championships	Chorzów, Poland	— (f)	100 mH	DQ
	European U23 Championships	Espoo, Finland	1st	100 mH	12.68 CR
	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	7th	100 mH	12.70
2024	European Championships	Rome, Italy	2nd	100 mH	12.40
	Olympic Games	Paris, France	14th (sf)	100 mH	12.68

National titles

• Swiss Athletics Championships (3)
  • 100 m hurdles: 2020, 2021, 2023
• Swiss Indoor Athletics Championships (3)
  • 60 m hurdles: 2021, 2022, 2023

See also

• List of Swiss records in athletics
• Switzerland at the Olympics

References

1. "Ditaji Kambundji". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
2. "Tilastopaja Oy Track and field statistics | Ditaji Kambundji". Tilastopaja.eu. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
3. "Mujinga und Ditaji Kambundji trennen sich von Trainer Rothenbühler". Nau (in German). Retrieved 26 August 2023.
4. "Ditaji Kambundji". Olympedia. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
5. "Athletics - Round 1 - Heat 5 Results". Tokyo 2020. Archived from the original on 31 July 2021. Retrieved 31 July 2021.
6. "Pour les parents de Mujinga Kambundji, "l'équilibre familial passe avant le sport"". La Liberté (in French). 15 May 2014. Retrieved 18 August 2021.
7. Gisi, Emanuel (30 July 2021). ""Nous sommes meilleurs amies"". Blick (in French). Retrieved 18 August 2021.
8. Borenstein, Hannah (12 March 2022). "No sibling rivalry, just mutual support, between Kambundji sisters | FEATURE | World Athletics". World Athletics. Retrieved 28 August 2023.

External links

• Official website
• Ditaji Kambundji at World Athletics
• Ditaji Kambundji at European Athletics
• Ditaji Kambundji at Olympics.com
• Ditaji Kambundji at Olympedia