Fearnley bows to Weir in marathon

9 Sep 2012, 11:09 pm   -   Source: AAP

Australian Kurt Fearnley's reign as Paralympic marathon champion has ended with Britain's David Weir winning the gruelling event in London.

Kurt Fearnley's reign as Paralympic marathon champion is over after being dethroned by Britain's David Weir in warm conditions in central London on Sunday.

In a sprint finish on The Mall, Fearnley desperately tried to reel in Weir but eventually finished third with Switzerland's Marcel Hug catching the Australian near the line.

Weir won by about five metres to snap the spell that Fearnley has had over the field at major events in the T54 wheelchair division for a decade.

The victory completed a phenomenal performance at the Games for the Brit that included victories in the 800m, 1500m, 5000m and the gruelling 42.2km event.

Fearnley, who famously crawled the length of the Kokoda Track in late 2009, was chasing an unprecedented third Paralympic marathon in a row on the course that weaved its way past famous London landmarks.

And it was always going to be extra tough with temperature hitting 28 degrees and the heat bouncing off the bitumen in the faces of the wheelchair racers.

Untouchable on the track at the Olympic stadium, six-time London marathon winner David Weir entered the race bursting with confidence and chasing his fourth individual gold.

The flat course with plenty of turns in it was ideally suited for the Brit while Fearnley prefers a more undulating route.

Not that it was possible to watch much of it live with organisers saying they had not raised enough money to broadcast it.

In spite of Weir's form, the Australian still entered the race as the favourite following his wins of varying natures in Athens and Beijing.

In 2004, the New South Welshman had a flat tyre for the final 5km but still managed to negotiate his way over the cobblestones of the Greek capital to win by four minutes.

The margin could not have been tighter four years later, Fearnley won by a tyre width from Japan's Hiroki Sasahara.

Fearnley enjoyed a phenomenal record of only missing the podium twice in 43 marathons coming into Sunday's event.

The Australian had the slight advantage over Weir of having an extra night off after bombing out in the 800m heats.

In the opening half of the race, the two combatants established themselves in a breakaway of about six and it stayed that way until the closing stages.

Weir came around the bend in front and as he has done throughout the Games, was too good for his rivals.

An exhausted Fearnley was devastated with the result.

"I don't know whether to smile or burst into tears," he said.

"Just exhausted. I don't know whether I feel great or I am about to throw up.

"You are just done. I put myself in a position to win it and I blew myself up at the end."

Weir embraced Fearnley after the race.

"He gave me a hug and said 'I love you my brother' and I said 'f*** that hurt'," Fearnley said.

The Australian said he had given his all.

"I thought if I could burn myself on the course, I would be happy," he said.

"Sometimes that is enough to win the gold and today it wasn't."

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