Written by Trackandmemes, July 25, 2024
Maliha Moussa is a 17-year-old Belgian athlete. With eleven years of athletics under her belt, her favourite disciplines are pole vaulting and pole vaulting.heptathlon. We'd already had the chance to meet her in the magazine, notably in a short interview posted on Instagram, where she revealed that as a fan, she would remain loyal to Nafissatou Thiam, even if she had to face the new rising star, Anna Hall.
Today, she reveals more about herself, starting with her hobbies.
Video of Maliha Moussa - summer 2023
I don't have many passions other than athletics, as this sport already takes up all my time, but I do love food! Especially cooking, or baking when I get the chance.
I'll be studying rhetoric next year, and after that I dream of working in the medical field, especially paediatrics. Studying medicine scares me a bit because it requires time and sacrifice, but I'm thinking of going into nursing next year.
Like many people, I'd like to travel, but mainly for competitions.
How are you getting on?
I did middle-distance and cross-country until I was a cadet, but I decided to specialize in the heptathlon and pole vault. Since then, I've never given up these disciplines.
This season is going really well. I couldn't have imagined it any better. Last year's little injuries are gradually disappearing, and above all, the performance is there!
Last year was very complicated... Lots of tears, failures, disappointments and soul-searching... I finished fourth three times in the LBFA (Ligue Belge Francophone d'Athlétisme) championships. That had an impact on my morale and physique.
So far, I've beaten all my records. Except for the pole vault, where I'm still having a bit of trouble. I've still got a few things to sort out in terms of my technique, but it's only a matter of time. I hope to be back at my best by the end of the season. As for podiums, I did one in winter in the pentathlon. This summer, I put in two fine performances that boosted my morale, and I scored a total of 650 points as well as a second place in the LBFA championship, 14 points off the title.
But my season isn't over yet! I still have three major championships in August, including a heptathlon.
And what about training?
My training is going well! It's a bit complicated at times, as I lack consistency and follow-through on certain events due to weather conditions. But we manage! Overall, everything's going well, and I've made good progress, both in training and in competition.
My weak points are sprinting and jumping, but I'm working on them! I've also made good progress on my mental side, which is quite pleasing.
Can you tell us more about your mental evolution?
Last year, I compared myself a lot, both physically and in terms of the other girls' performances. I was obsessed with my looks and my weight, and it didn't help that we were all in shorts and bras on the track.
You aspire to be something or someone, but I find that focusing on these details can be destructive. What's more, my calamitous performances didn't help me feel any better about myself. I constantly had the feeling that I sucked, that I wasn't making any progress. It's a difficult subject to talk about, but now I'm better because I've managed to get over it.
I'm a pessimist by nature, so it was impossible for me to see the positive. If I did an average workout, I'd just hold on to the negative and remember that instead of seeing the positive too. It was hard to deal with, but I worked a lot on my mental state over the winter. I completely changed my way of doing things and thinking. It's paying off.
So you stayed active during your summer vacations?
More than active, in fact! I've just entered the main part of my preparation. I had a combined events championship at the beginning of July, then took a week and a half off. I went to the North Sea, but stayed active with some jogging, lots of cycling and swimming. It's now been a week since I resumed training more seriously, and I need to keep up the momentum to prepare as well as possible for the championships in August.
What inspires you?
I'd say I find inspiration everywhere, and in everyone. My coach, the athletes and my boyfriend. My boyfriend has been injured for almost two years now, but he keeps training. He doesn't give up. He keeps believing and that pushes me to do the same, not to give up. His mentality, his way of looking at things and putting things into perspective inspire me a lot.
I also find inspiration in all the women and mothers who continue to perform, those who train while looking after their families. Society would have us believe that once you've given birth, you no longer have time to play sport or go out with friends. But these women break the codes a little, and that's what I like.
Nor can I forget the top-level athletes who suffer in training. They have fought to reach the top, and that makes us want to do what they do every day.
What has been your best relationship in this business?
The first person who comes to mind is my coach Robin Bodart. He believed in me before anyone else, and he continues to do so. He's always been there when I've needed him, sometimes without him even knowing it. I trust him completely, whether it's managing my training, my competitions or my technique. I know that if anything goes wrong, he'll be there.
He knows how to call me to order, to dot the i's and cross the t's, to say the right words, even when it hurts.
I've also got my boyfriend who's been supporting me for a long time. He's really helped me get back on track, especially last year when things weren't going so well.
And then there are all the friends I've made over the years. Incredible encounters. We grow, we evolve, we progress together. And in the end, they're the ones who make athletics even more beautiful in my eyes. Because we support each other while sharing great moments. It's incredible.
I need to discover myself too. But I know I want to become a good person who helps people and is useful to society.
Maliha Moussa, 2024
Other than your medical aspirations, who do you want to be when you grow up?
I don't know... I'm still young and I've got a lot to discover. I need to discover myself too. But I do know that I want to become a good person who helps people and is useful to society. I think that's also why I want to work in the medical field, and have done since I was a little girl.
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