German athlete registers 8.62m in T64 long jump at European Para Championships in Bydgoszcz

Markus Rehm smashed his world record for the T64 long jump by 14cm with 8.62m on the opening day of the European Para Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, on Tuesday (June 1).

“I feel amazing. To get the world record is always great,” he said. “I did it a few times already, but it still feels special. I think it went well for me today.”

It was his eighth European gold and his fifth in the long jump.

“This season was really well for me already,” he continued. “I had two competitions and in the first one, I was just one centimetre shy of the old world record. I am consistent at the moment and I need to stay healthy to keep the success coming.”

Dimitri Pavade from France took silver with 6.98m, while Italy’s Marco Cicchetti won bronze with 6.72m.

Rehm took the lead right in his first attempt of 8.19m. He improved his mark and got closer to the world record in the next jump (8.46m). Then beat his own record in his third attempt.

Only 14 athletes in the history of long jump – in able-bodied or para athletics – have jumped further than the result achieved by the German athlete in Poland.

Such is the distance of the mark, it is longer than the winning marks achieved in the last six Olympics too.

ICYMI, Markus Rehm broke his own world record of 8.48m in the T64 men's long jump at the European Para Athletics Championships yesterday.

He jumped an astonishing 8.62m ?#Bydgoszcz2021pic.twitter.com/cMwWedyAzT

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) June 2, 2021

His next challenge will be the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in August, where he will be defending the world jump title from Rio 2016 and London 2012.

“It’s my main competition this year and I will try to reach my peak there. It is getting harder because I put my limit higher and higher. I’m in good shape and I hope I can jump some distances as I did in Bydgoszcz,” he said.

Columba Blango from Great Britain also starred on the opening day in Bydgoszcz as he won the men’s 400m T20 category with a European record of 47.90.

“I cruised the heat this morning but I knew I would need to go hard from the beginning in the final,” the 28-year-old said. “I knew I could pick up from 200m, I just had to keep going and going.

“I’ve been chasing a time under 48 seconds for a while now, so it is a big surprise for me today. I am so glad I could get it today, it is all part of the process.

“I’ve always dreamt of this moment since I was a kid. I don’t think it’ll be my last time [on the podium], there is much more to come, but I want to enjoy it. I’m going to cherish this moment.”

For results, see the Bydgoszcz 2021 website.