April 22 – Great Britain’s David Weir won his sixth wheelchair title as he took a sprint finish in 1:32:26, equaling Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson’s record.
Beating Marcel Hug by a second, the 32-year-old Londoner landed first in London Marathon’s wheelchair race with Shelly Woods cruising to victory in the women’s wheelchair division.
Weir is a favorite who previously earned five wheelchair titles in the Paralympics. He took his gold Paralympic medal in Beijing in the 800m and 1,500m, a silver and bronze in the 200m, and had previously won a 100m silver and a 1,500m bronze in Athens. At present, he holds the British record for every distance up to the 5000m and records for the 10k, half and full marathon events.
However, he was hesitant when asked about his plans. With his increasing family commitments, this 32-year-old family man said last Sunday’s London Olympics could be his last.
“Maybe,” he said. “I’ve got an eight-month-old baby boy and I’ve got another one on the way in October, so I need a bit of time at home. There are not a lot of goals left. I’ll definitely take a year out of the Paralympics because I want to spend some time with my family.”
Weir also admitted having Grey-Thompson as a role model.
“She was the one who got me back into the sport when I had a little dip. I wasn’t enjoying the sport but watching her in Sydney (2000 Olympics) brought me back, so it is great to equal her record.”
Looking back, he was a boy determined to get involved in as many extreme sports as possible. With his natural abilities, he was given his first racing chair at the age of eight.
As a gifted athlete, he is now ready to compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games. The crowd’s favorite, he is expected to bring at least one gold Paralympics medal.
Beating Marcel Hug by a second, the 32-year-old Londoner landed first in London Marathon’s wheelchair race with Shelly Woods cruising to victory in the women’s wheelchair division.
Weir is a favorite who previously earned five wheelchair titles in the Paralympics. He took his gold Paralympic medal in Beijing in the 800m and 1,500m, a silver and bronze in the 200m, and had previously won a 100m silver and a 1,500m bronze in Athens. At present, he holds the British record for every distance up to the 5000m and records for the 10k, half and full marathon events.
However, he was hesitant when asked about his plans. With his increasing family commitments, this 32-year-old family man said last Sunday’s London Olympics could be his last.
“Maybe,” he said. “I’ve got an eight-month-old baby boy and I’ve got another one on the way in October, so I need a bit of time at home. There are not a lot of goals left. I’ll definitely take a year out of the Paralympics because I want to spend some time with my family.”
Weir also admitted having Grey-Thompson as a role model.
“She was the one who got me back into the sport when I had a little dip. I wasn’t enjoying the sport but watching her in Sydney (2000 Olympics) brought me back, so it is great to equal her record.”
Looking back, he was a boy determined to get involved in as many extreme sports as possible. With his natural abilities, he was given his first racing chair at the age of eight.
As a gifted athlete, he is now ready to compete in the 2012 London Olympic Games. The crowd’s favorite, he is expected to bring at least one gold Paralympics medal.
