Weir set for World Champs Wheelchair Showdown at 2015 Virgin Money London Marathon

Twelve months on from their thunderous battle down The Mall last April, wheelchair stars David Weir and Marcel Hug are all set for a thrilling re-match at this year’s Virgin Money London Marathon when the world’s best para-athletes will be going for gold in eight IPC Athletics World Championship marathons.

 

Reigning world champion Hug edged out Weir by the length of his wheel in last year’s scintillating sprint finish, denying the six-times Paralympic gold medallist a record seventh London Marathon title in his 15th consecutive appearance at the event.

 

Weir equalled Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson’s record of six London Marathon victories in 2012, and has been targeting a seventh ever since. But the Briton had to settle for fifth two years ago and lost out to Hug last April as the Swiss racer added a first London Marathon crown to the five gold medals he won at the Lyon 2013 IPC Athletics World Championships.

 

 

Now the pair are ready to go wheel for wheel again on Sunday 26 April in pursuit of the US$20,000 winner’s prize, the biggest award ever for a London Marathon wheelchair race, with the added incentive of an IPC Athletics world title and gold medal on offer to the victor.

 

Prize money for the 2015 men’s and women’s wheelchair races has been boosted by a total of $16,250. The traditional T53/54 events are just two of the IPC Athletics World Championship marathons being staged as part of the London Marathon this year ahead of the track and field programme to come in Doha, Qatar, this October.

 

More than 100 world-class para-athletes will compete for their countries in the eight marathon races. Weir, who missed last summer’s IPC Athletics European Championships in Swansea, can’t wait to compete for Britain again.

 

“Just a second separated the top three last year and I’m sure it’s going to go down to the wire again in 2015,” said Weir. “It would mean a lot to get the record-breaking seventh in London and win gold for the British team, but first and foremost I’m focused on ensuring I’m in the best possible condition at the end of April and ready to attack the race.

 

 

“It was heart-breaking having to pull out of the team for the Europeans last summer, but I’m really looking forward to getting back in a GB vest to test myself against the very best in the world. We’re going to have the home support behind us and if we can deliver it will be a real boost for the team ahead of Doha in October.”

 

Hug won’t be the only racer trying to stop the 35-year-old ‘Weirwolf’, however, for the elite field is the biggest in London Marathon history and packed with champions – athletes such as official world record holder Heinz Frei, the Swiss who won three London titles in the 1990s; Canada’s 2010 London champion Josh Cassidy, who produced the quickest wheelchair marathon ever in Boston three years ago; and 10-times Boston Marathon winner Ernst van Dyk, the South African star who is still seeking his first London win.