For the third time in two months, Kurt Fearnley has been pipped by Switzerland's Marcel Hug - this time in a sprint finish at the New York wheelchair marathon.
The Australian was beaten by Hug by just one second in the wheelchair marathon at the Rio Paralympics and had to settle for second in a photo-finish at last month's Chicago marathon.
Fearnley and Hug were at it again in New York on Sunday, both clocking one hour 35 minutes and 49 seconds - with the Swiss winning by a wheel - and the pair more than three minutes ahead of third-placed Josh George of the United States.
"That was a tough race and tough result to take," Fearnley said.
"Full credit to Marcel, he's had a tremendous year but I'm sick of seeing the back of his chair!"
"It's hard to get one win in a year and Marcel has had five. I managed one early in Tokyo but couldn't get around him in the final sprint for the last few."
Fearnley will now head off for a well-earned break following a year in which he's won marathons in Tokyo and the Gold Coast, been runner-up in New York, Chicago, London and the Rio Paralympics and third in the Boston marathon.
"It's been a massive year and I'm looking forward to a break," Fearnley said.
"First job is hitting the sidelines though. My wife (Sheridan) is running her first marathon today and it's my turn to cheer as loud as I can to get her across the finish line."
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