Strong London field named

By Paul Carter

This year’s London Marathon is set to feature the strongest line-up of wheelchair athletes in its 27-year-history.

The field for the 26.2 mile event, due to take place on 26 April, will include a string of Paralympic gold medallists, world record holders, and both former and defending London champions.

In the men’s race, double Beijing gold-medallist David Weir will be competing for his fourth successive London victory, his fifth in total.

“London is my home town, so it’s nice to be among family and friends,” said Weir, who was awarded an MBE in the New Year’s honours list.

“I haven’t got the worry of training for Beijing this year, so you never know what can happen. The marathon field is opening up now with a lot of athletes coming through.”

Weir’s biggest challenge is likely to come from arch rival and marathon gold medallist Kurt Fearnley of Australia, who he pipped to the line in a thrilling sprint finish last year.

Also featuring in a high-class men’s field is the world record holder Heinz Frei of Switzerland, who was fifth in last year’s race, South African Ernst Van Dyk, who was sixth, and the Frenchman Denis Lemeunier, a London winner back in 2001.

Two-time previous winner Saul Mendoza also returns after a two-year absence, alongside Choke Yasuoka, who finished tenth last year despite an early crash.

The women’s field is also the strongest to date, featuring the reigning champion, Sandra Graf
of Switzerland, the Paralympic champion,Edith Hunkeler, and Britain’s Paralympic Games hero, Shelly Woods.

Graf smashed the 11-year-old course record by more than a minute when she won last year, but couldn’t repeat her winning form in Beijing where Hunkeler triumphed over her compatriot with a Paralympic record.

Woods, who won silver and bronze in Beijing, finished third last time around.

“Last year was all about Beijing. Hopefully being able to focus on London this winter will help in
my overall performance,” she said.

“The London Marathon is very special to me as it’s the biggest race I get on home soil, and there is nothing like racing at home.”