Markus Rehm sets new world record in L'Hospitalet

Markus Rehm has done it again. The German athlete broke his own world record* in the men's long jump T64 setting a mark of 8.64m in his sixth and last attempt during the International Para Athletics Meeting of L'Hospitalet in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Spain on Saturday (20 May).

The jump was 2 centimetres longer than Rehm's previous record set at the 2021 European Para Athletics Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. 

"It was outstanding, an exciting day and a really great competition in good conditions. I've had really long jumps before, one even to 8.72 metres – unfortunately with too much tailwind. Before the last attempt, I thought to myself: 'Come on, get this thing now and make it official'," Rehm said. 

The 34-year-old jumped 8.72m in his fourth attempt but the mark could not be made official because of the +4 m/s  wind (long jumps made with wind assistance over 2 m/s are not counted as official records). Rehm now will be looking at improving his record at the Para Athletics World Championships in Paris, France in July.

"There's definitely a lot of potential and it's really fun. I hope that it will continue like this in the season and that I can maybe add a few more centimetres on top," added the four-time Paralympic champion.

Rehm was the main star of the 18th edition of the traditional Para athletics meet near Barcelona but there were more outstanding performances on Saturday. 

Stylianos Malakopoulos from Greece was close to breaking his own record in the men's long jump T62 landing 5 centimetres short of the world mark with 7.18m. 

Spain's Paralympic champion Adiatarou Iglesias (T13) delighted the home crowd winning the 100m ahead of Dutch start Fleur Jong (T62) in a multiclass race. Iglesias also picked a gold medal in the 200m with France's Angelina Lanza (T64) in second. 

Lanza also left Catalunya with a gold medal in the women's long jump. Another Tokyo 2020 Paralympic winner to triumph in L'Hospitalet was Morocco's Ayoub Sadni (T47) in the men's 400m.  

The local fans had more reasons to celebrate as Paralympic champion Yassine Ouhdadi (T13), who competes for the L'Hospitalet Athletics Club, took gold in the men's 1500m.

Complete results are available on https://www.hospitaletparaathletics.cat/public/img/resultats23.pdf.

More information about the 18th International Para Athletics Meeting L'Hospitalet is available on the competition website. 

*Records subject to ratification by World Para Athletics.