COLOGNE – Constantin Braun is the painted man of the 2010 IIHF World Championship.

The 22-year-old left winger on Germany’s national team can’t remember how many tattoos he has on his body. But he figures he would need at least two hands and maybe a foot to count them.

“About 10, maybe more,” said Braun.

Braun was 13 when he asked his father, who was into tattoos, to let him get his first tattoo. He dad said no but four more years, he got his first one.

“It was a birthday present for my 17th (birthday),” said Braun. “The first one was the Chinese word for dragon because the year I was born was the year of the dragon.”

He’s been having his body painted ever since.

“I just kept going,” he said.

First the calves on his legs were painted, then the shins.

Batman is on his right shin, and Catwoman on the left.

“It was my dad’s idea. I told him I wanted to give a tattoo for my dad and my mom and he said why do you not pick Batman and Catwoman because we love and hate each other and that is kind of the relationship Batman and Catwoman have,” he said. “But in the end they love each other.”

“I have my family on my body. I have a tattoo for my wife. We will have a baby in September so I will have one for my baby. I have two step-kids and I want to do something for all three. It will be something.”

Needless to say but Braun’s teammates have taken an interest in German hockey’s painted man.

“Neck down. No face and no hands. The neck will be free and no face,’’ he said. “I want to do something after hockey and I do not want to look like a freak.”

And should Germany win the world title, Braun will celebrate by having another part of his body tattooed.

“If I take a gold medal, I will have the gold medal on my a..” he said.

Don’t wait for that to happen.

ALAN ADAMS