Markus Rehm exclusive: “In athletics I'm one of the faces, but I also enjoy being a nobody in the snowboarding world"
German long jump king Markus Rehm may not have to wait four years until his next Paralympic experience.
After winning the men’s T64 title at Paris 2024 - his fifth career Paralympic gold medal - the 36-year-old is considering switching to Para snowboarding for the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Paralympics.
The long jump World Record holder has some experience in the winter sport and would enjoy the challenge of reaching the top level in another sport.
“I don't have serious plans yet, but yes, I enjoy snowboarding, and I also had the chance to join the German Paralympic Snowboarding team, and I think I did well,” Rehm told Olympics.com after winning gold at Paris 2024.
“I'm new in this sport, I'm a youngster, kind of, although I'm absolutely no youngster anymore! But it was fun to compete.”
Markus Rehm on giving Para sport a bigger platform
Rehm is something of a Paralympic celebrity.
After a wakeboarding accident at the age of 14 resulted in the loss of his right leg, he channelled all his efforts into the world of Para sport.
He won his first Paralympic gold at London 2012 in the F44 category with a new World Record, earning him the nickname “The Blade Jumper” due to the carbon-fibre prosthesis on his jumping leg.
Alongside his five Paralympic golds, he has also won nine world titles and wants to use the platform he has built to shine a light on Para snowboarding.
“I love snowboarding and I hope to create a bigger stage for Paralympic winter sports. Let's see if I can help bring it to a different level, the level that it deserves. I would love to do that,” he said.
“Let's see where this journey will lead us. But yeah, I’m definitely going to try to be there.”
The theme of Rehm’s life has been about overcoming barriers.
From learning how to live with one leg to overcoming the world’s top Para athletes and developing consistency over 13 years at the top of the sport, he is always in search of a new goal.
On top of shining a light on a new sport, the German athlete is keen to test himself in a new environment.
“I think in athletics I'm one of the faces, but I also enjoy being kind of a nobody in the snowboarding world,” he continued.
“I like the guys, I like the atmosphere. I think it's something completely different to summer sports.
“In summer sports, it is so much about the medal, which is great, but I also enjoy just being there, making the sport bigger and giving the sport a bigger stage which is what I hope I can do for winter sport.
“I really enjoy being there, competing with the guys and just having fun. The guys are so great and do such a great job, so it's very hard to get into Para snowboarding. I don't know yet.” - Markus Rehm to Olympics.com
Long jump ambitions and LA 2028?
So does this mean the end to Rehum’s ambitions in the world of athletics?
The answer is no. Admitting that becoming the first man to break nine metres in the long jump is 'in the back of the mind', he still has plenty of motivation to keep on with athletics until the LA 2028 Paralympics, should he choose that path.
“I couldn't make nine metres at Paris 2024 because it was a tough one, but, all that counts is the gold medal," he said.
“I hope I can do it. A few more years and there will be one day, when somebody, will beat me on the track, and I hope to stay it's still far enough away, but, it's also good.
“I hope that there will be in LA a competition where three or even five athletes will jump over eight metres. And if I will join them? I'm not sure yet, but I hope I will see that."