Long-distance jumper Rehm secures fourth consecutive gold medal victory
Markus Rehm kicked off as the top contender in the long jump event at the Paralympics, and he definitely delivered. Although the magic mark of nine meters remained elusive, the 36-year-old had plenty to celebrate after his stellar performance. As the current world record holder, Markus Rehm claimed his fourth straight long jump gold medal at the Parisian Paralympics. With a leap of 8.13 meters, he dominated the Stade de France, maintaining his unbeatable streak in the T64 class for his 14th consecutive year. Rehm finished 34 centimeters ahead of Derek Loccident from the USA, but fell short of Miltiadis Tentoglou's record set by the Olympic champion by 35 centimeters. The dream of nine meters remains unfulfilled.
"It was awesome, everyone had a tough time warming up. The jumps were a bit off. But gold's gold, that's the important thing," shared Rehm with a broad smile: "Hitting the four-peat sounds amazing. To be at the top for so many years and remain undefeated is a massive honor - it's just out of this world." In his Paralympic career, the Leverkusen native, who lost his right leg below the knee in a wakeboarding accident when he was just 14, has collected five gold medals. In 2016, he also claimed gold with the German sprint relay team. Since his professional debut in 2011, he has also bagged nine world titles and eight European crowns. His jump in Paris marked the first para-sport event to receive live primetime broadcast on ARD.
There was much at stake: Prior to the competition, Rehm felt the pressure of competition for the first time due to the appearance of eight-meter jumpers, causing him to forget about chasing records. Rehm started the competition with a safe jump of 7.83 meters, which instantly put him in the lead. In his second attempt, he barely surpassed the eight-meter mark, then settled at that level. His best jump occurred in his fifth attempt. Ultimately, he remained undefeated in his 16th long jump competition at a major event. His own world record stands at 8.72 meters. His training partner Noah Bodelier managed to finish in sixth place with a jump of 6.98 meters.
"Markus Rehm's dominance in Athletics was evident once again at the Paralympics, as he successfully defended his long jump title."
"Despite not setting a new world record, Rehm's consistent performance in Athletics cemented his status as an unbeatable force in the T64 class."
