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Markus Rehm's 8.43m leap at the IndianOil New Delhi 2025 World Para Athletics Championships did more than secure his eighth straight world title - it marked the emotional conclusion of a 16-year partnership with coach Steffi Nerius, one of para sport's most enduring collaborations.
Sixteen years earlier, a teenage Rehm and Nerius had shared their first international stage in Bangalore. Then a lanky youngster still reeling from the loss of his right leg in a wakeboarding accident, he was searching for purpose. Nerius, already a world champion javelin thrower, saw beyond his injury and believed in his potential.
"That competition in India was our start," Rehm recalled in Delhi. "It was the first time we went abroad together. I was nervous, unsure
of who I was. She gave me belief. That was the start of a fantastic journey and I am happy that it comes to an end in India itself. It feels like life wrote this story. "
As the German anthem played in Delhi, Rehm touched his headband - a quiet nod to his mentor. "Steffi deserves her weekends now, her time with her family. I can't give enough back for what she gave me," he said softly.
After his accident, Rehm said he felt as though he had "lost who I was. " Nerius helped him rediscover that identity, focusing as much on his mindset as on his technique. "Sports gave me my identity back," he said. "But it was Steffi who gave me the path. "
Their records speak volumes - from sub-7m beginnings to breaking through 7.50m, 8m, and then a staggering 8.72m world record in 2023. "She always pushed me beyond what I thought possible," Rehm noted.
In Leverkusen, Nerius was known for her precision and empathy. She obsessed over takeoff angles and run-up rhythms but was equally known for staying late to review videos, or quietly carrying his kit bag through airports. "She cared not only about the jump," Rehm said, "but about me. "
Their relationship evolved into something deeply personal. "She joined me for half of my life," Rehm admitted. "As an athlete, as a person - she changed me. "
Though this chapter closed in Delhi, Rehm's story continues. He aims to train in Amsterdam alongside Fleur Jong, chasing new challenges and the dream of surpassing his own world record. "I'm still a dreamer," he laughed. "There's more distance out there. "
For Rehm, however, no distance will quite measure the bond he shared with Steffi Nerius - a partnership rooted in respect, care, and unwavering trust that turned a teenager's recovery into one of para athletics' greatest success stories.
