The Paralympic summer games in Tokyo have ended with a big closing ceremony. And there were reasons for everyone to celebrate – above all the athletes from TSB Bayer 04 Leverkusen: the Paralympians from the Rhineland picked up eight medals and helped Germany to finish twelfth in the international medal table (13 golds, 12 silver, 18 bronze).
Taliso Engel set a new world record (1:03.52 minutes) in a previous round of the 100 metre breaststroke race. He was unable to match that in the final (1:02.97) as he won gold for Germany.
There was similar success for Johannes Floors: The Paralympic sprinter impressively lived up to his role as the favourite in the 400 metres race as he finished first. Floors run the race in 45.85 seconds. It was his first individual gold. (I could cry. I've worked for five years to be at the front and run it down," said the 26-year-old after his triumph. Floors also picked up a Paralympic bronze in the second discipline, the 100 metres race.
Markus Rehm Also comes home with a gold medal. The 33-year-old won his third long jump gold medal in succession in Tokyo. Rehm triumphed in the rain with a jump of 8.18 metres, 79 centimetres ahead of the Frenchman Dmitri Pavarde.
Léon Schäfer (long jump/100 metres) and Irmgard Bensusan (100/200 metres) just missed out on gold. in the competition of above-knee amputee long jumpers, Schaefer won the silver medal and he finished in third place in the 100 metre sprint. Bensusan finished second behind Marlene van Gansewinkel over 100 metres as well as over the double distance.
Germany's sitting volleyball team, with the Leverkusen athletes Dominik Albrecht, Stefan Hähnlein, Lukas Schiwiy, Jürgen Schrapp and Mathis Tigler starting, achieved sixth place – the Germany team lost out to Egypt's after a total of five sets (23:25, 26:24, 18:25, 25:22 and 8:15).
An overview of the TSV Bayer 04 Leverkusen athletes at the Paralympics: Taliso Engel (swimming), Nele Moos (100 metres/400 metres), Léon Schäfer (long jump/100 metres), Johannes Floors (100 metres/400 metres), Markus Rehm (long jump), Irmgard Bensusan (100 metres/200 metres), Maria Tietze (100 metres/200 metres), David Behre (relay), Lise Petersen (javelin), Dominik Albrecht (sitting volleyball), Stefan Hähnlein (sitting volleyball), Lukas Schiwiy (sitting volleyball), Jürgen Schrapp (sitting volleyball), Mathis Tigler (sitting volleyball).
Bayer 04 are back at the BayArena! Under the slogan “One day. Two teams. One club.”, the Leverkusen stadium grounds will be transformed into a world of experiences – with a wide range of exclusive activities both on and off the pitch. Keep track of all the highlights in our blog for the 2026 season launch.
Show more
Kicking off the new season with a fresh look: Bayer 04, in collaboration with sportswear manufacturer New Balance, has unveiled the official kit for Leverkusen’s e-Sports players for the coming season. The jersey is now available from the Bayer 04 online shop and the Fanwelt.
Show more
Paulo Sergio and Bayer 04 have enjoyed close ties since the Werkself training camp in his native Brazil last summer. The club legend is in charge of the Bayer 04 Soccer Academy, which opened in the summer of 2025, and he has also been at this year’s training camp in the Weimarer Land. As well as interacting with the many fans who travelled to the camp, the 1994 World Cup winner used the time to plan the next steps for the Academy together with club officials. In an interview with bayer04.de, Sergio spoke about the project’s future development, the upcoming visit by young Academy players to Leverkusen, and plans for the coming months in Germany and Brazil.
Show more
A round-up of the Werkself training camp in the Weimarer Land, all in one place: in our daily blog you’ll find all the insights and updates from the day. Day five (Thursday 6 August) is as follows: The squad have the final open session of the training camp in the morning. After lunch, there will be a team event.
Show more
When Afonso Moreira arrived for his interview with bayer04.de, he had to take a deep breath first. Asked how the morning session had gone, the 21-year-old replied with a slight smile: “Tough. Intense.” That’s really sums up the workload for the Werkself so far at the training camp in the Weimarer Land region. Head coach Carles Martínez and his team demand hard work, team spirit and the determination to improve every day. Those are values Moreira wholeheartedly identifies with – and the Portuguese player has not only taken them to heart, but also permanently noted in the form of a tattoo.
Show more
