Comerford, Hug and Rehm steal the spotlight in London and Leverkusen

Markus Rehm produced a world-leading jump on his return to competition in Leverkusen, while Marcel Hug and Orla Comerford added further Diamond League victories in London during a packed weekend for Para athletics.

The German city hosted the traditional Para Leichtathletik Heimspiel on Saturday (18 July), featuring a strong line-up of home and international athletes. For Rehm, the event marked his first appearance following recovery from an ankle injury in January. The four-time Paralympic champion and men’s long jump T64 world record holder, now in his first season after concluding his 16-year partnership with former coach Steffi Nerius, said he was “very satisfied” with his 8.19m world-leading performance.

"That was my first competition in a long time, the first time using the long approach run, something we hadn't even tried in training. For that, it was great, something to build on. And now hopefully it will only continue," Rehm told Bayer Leverkusen, the Heimspiel organisers.

The track at Manfort Stadium delivered several standout results. Dutch athlete Joel de Jong (T63) set a European record* of 11.99 in the men’s 100m, while Japan's Erina Yuguchi (T61) achieved an Asian record* in the women’s long jump with 4.36m.

Tokyo 2020 Paralympic champion Felix Streng (T64) won the men’s 100m with two runs of 10.81. Men’s shot put F41 world record holder Niko Kappel claimed victory with a strong 14.27m effort. In the women’s events, Switzerland’s Elena Kratter (T63) topped the long jump multi-class with 5.27m, and Germany’s Jule Ross (T46) secured wins in both the 100m and 200m on her home track.

More information and complete results of the Heimspiel 2026 can be found here.

London action

Meanwhile in Great Britain, the London Stadium staged four Para athletics events at Saturday’s London Athletics Meet – the 11th stop of this year’s Diamond League. 

In the men’s wheelchair 1500m T54, Switzerland’s Marcel Hug once again reined supreme, leading from gun to tape to win in 2:59.24 ahead of Australia’s Samuel Carter, with compatriot Australian Samuel Rizzo completed the top three.

Ireland’s Orla Comerford, the reigning 100m and 200m T13 world champion, claimed her second victory of the Diamond League season by winning the women’s 100m ambulant race in 11.79. Dutch star Fleur Jong (T62) finished second, followed by New Zealand’s Anna Grimaldi (T47), the 200m Paralympic champion in her class. 

"London Diamond League 💎. Happy with another consistent run and the win in a field of great athletes," Comerford posted on social media. "The last time I was in this stadium I ran a 12.55, today an 11.79. Grateful for the journey"

Great Britain’s Paris 2024 bronze medallist Zac Shaw (T12) won the men’s 100m ambulant race with a season’s best time of 10.97, ahead of compatriots Kevin Santos (T47) and Thomas Young (T38). British T20 Paralympic champion Ben Sandilands took the men’s 1500m ambulant in 3:49.26, with Steven Bryce (T20) holding on for second and Ireland’s Brandon Ballard (T20) finishing third.

London became the fifth Diamond League meeting this season to feature Para athletics. Complete results are available here.

Earlier in June, Rome’s Golden Gala Pietro Mennea staged 100m multi class races won by Germany’s Felix Streng (men) and Spain’s Fiona Pilar (women). At Oslo’s Bislett Games on 10 June, Comerford took the women’s 100m Para race.  

At the end of June, the Meeting de Paris hosted 400m Para races, with Alice Metais and Ayoub Sadni winning the women’s and men’s events at Charlety Stadium, venue of the 2023 World Para Athletics Championships.

In early July, Brittni Mason and Noah Malone sprinted to the women’s and men’s 100m Para mixed class victories in all-USA fields at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, USA.

*Records to be ratified by World Para Athletics