Fleur Jong settles historic mark in Leverkusen

Fleur Jong from the Netherlands became the first women with prosthetic legs to run the 100m in less than 12.50 seconds when she set a new world record* for the T62 class in Leverkusen (12.46), Germany on Friday (1 April).

Jong was joined by other 98 athletes from 10 countries across three continents competed in the traditional Para Leichtathletik Heimspiel. It was the first time in three years that the event was open to the public, who saw three new world records on the track. 

The Dutch sprinter bettered in 0.10 her own world record set at the Paris 2022 Grand Prix in June.

“I feel amazing, I heard from my teammate [Marlene van Gansewinkel] that I was the first to beat 12.5 and it is crazy,” said Jong after the race in Leverkusen.

It has been a great season for her with four world records set in four weeks. 

“It never gets tired. It is just special that my PB [personal best] is also the world record. You want to get a PB every year and maybe even every week but now if my PB is also a world record it never gets old, it is so special and definitely breaking a barrier like 12.50 that is unheard yet.” 

Jong added another world record* to her CV later on Friday in the women’s 4x100m relay, along ‘Team Para Athletiek’ members Kiki Hendriks, Roorda Noelle and Marlene van Gansewinkel. They settled a new mark of 51.92s. 

World record holders competing on home soil 

Germany’s Phil Grolla, Johannes Floors, Markus Rehm and Felix Streng also broke a world record* in the men’s 4x100m relay with 40.52, bettering the mark settled by USA in 2018 by 0.21 seconds. 

Leverkusen-based Paralympic champion Markus Rehm amazed the crowd with an 8.44m jump, just few centimetres below his world record mark. 

Johannes Floors was also close to his own world mark (20.69s) running the 200m T62 in 20.79s. 

Another German star to pick a gold medal in the meeting was Niko Kappel who had a 13.98m throw in the men’s shot put F41. 

Future shines bright for German Para athletes 

As every year, one of the most special moments during the event is seeing the young athletes from ‘Happy Para Kids’ club competing for the first time. 

Kids run the 100m and compete in the long jump as part of the programme. They also have the opportunity to watch and talk to Para athletics stars and role models.

Complete results from Leverkusen can be found here.

The World Para Athletics seasons continues later this month with the Monterrey 2022 Grand Prix in Mexico. It will be the first-ever GP in the country from 21 to 23 July.

*World records subject to approval from World Para Athletics.