Rehm amongst a host of global stars out to impress in Spain

Germany’s Paralympic, world and European long jump champion Markus Rehm is amongst a host of star athletes set to line up at the 11th International Para Athletics Meeting Kern Pharma in Barcelona, Spain on Saturday (14 May).

Twelve months ago Rehm smashed his own long jump T44 world record at the L’Hospitalet venue, leaping an incredible 8.29m, before going on to retain his world title in Doha, Qatar, later in the year with an even more impressive jump of 8.40m.

This year 150 athletes from 17 countries will compete at the IPC Athletics-sanctioned event as the clock ticks down towards both June’s IPC Athletics European championships in Grosseto, Italy, then September’s Rio 2016 Paralympics Games – with many athletes hoping to achieve vital qualification standards.

Other big names taking to the track in Barcelona include South Africa’s 100m and 200m T13 world champion Ilse Hayes, Great Britain’s world medallists Georgie Hermitage, Maria Lyle and Jonathan Broom-Edwards, Germany’s 400m T44 world champion David Behre and his compatriots Heinrich Popow and Felix Streng, and Switzerland’s 100m T52 European champion Beat Boesch.

Many Spanish athletes will also be in attendance – including the host nation’s most successful Paralympian David Casinos. The F11 thrower – a multiple Paralympic, world and European champion since Sydney 2000 – faces the likes of Austria’s Paralympic bronze medallist Bil Marinkovic as well as double European champion Kim Lopez (F12).

Further information on the event can be found at the event website.