Paralympics legend says a new racing chair and recent move to Hastings are factors that could help him pull off another remarkable win on Sunday

From lockdown woes in the spring to the London Marathon in the autumn, the road to this weekend’s race has been a rocky one for David Weir and his competitors in the wheelchair race on Sunday in St James’s Park. Yet the Briton will take to the start line confident of claiming an amazing ninth title in his 21st London Marathon.

Weir is now aged 41 but he believes he is physically and mentally in great form. The six-time Paralympic gold medallist has endured much-publicised periods of depression as he has fought his inner demons but he says it is all behind him now and that moving home to Hastings on the east Sussex coast one year ago has helped hugely.

The move also came in handy during the difficult lockdown period earlier this year. “I was lucky because Richmond Park (close to where he used to live) was closed during lockdown,” Weir says. “I have found some good courses and routes in Hastings. It’s a lot windier and hillier but good.”

He adds: “I turned my garage into a training centre with rollers and weights. The only thing I missed was going up to my Weir Archer Academy. I felt sorry for the athletes there, but we did a lot of Zoom sessions and it perked everyone’s faces up.

“I had a pretty good lockdown really. I got a new aluminium chair from the US too in May and wouldn’t have had it if the London Marathon was held on its original date in April. I felt alive again, as I was struggling with my old chair that I’d had for a while.”

Weir (above, training in his hotel room this week) says he has avoided injuries and illnesses in the build-up to Sunday’s race, meaning he is physically fit and strong. On his mental health, he says: “In the last year I’ve been the best mentally that I’ve ever been. Leading into last year’s marathon I had blood poisoning in January and then another infection before Boston so it was a rush to get fit.

“I struggled last year (Weir was fifth behind winner Daniel Romanchuk and runner-up Marcel Hug) and you can’t compete against Marcel and the top guys without a full block of training. I’ve been healthy in this past year and am strong mentally.”

Weir also reveals: “A tiny hole at the top of my heart was found last year too although I’ve been told it’s not a problem because I’ve had it since birth. Still, it was worrying at the time.”

Shelly Woods leads British hopes in the women’s race and the Blackpool-based para-athlete, who is returning from a baby break, had her own lockdown issues earlier this year. The 34-year-old remembers: “I saw the lockdown coming and bought some adjustable dumb-bells. Everyone was struggling to get equipment but I was really lucky.”

She continues: “The hardest thing for me was having all the nurseries shut. I have a little boy who is three years old so I struggled with looking after him and getting all my training done.”

Woods (below) adds: “I’m really pleased with the decision to come back and race. I don’t have too much pressure on myself and I want to see what level I can get back to. I had some races last year which acted as stepping stones and over the winter I did some good training.

“I took a step back during the lockdown and did training a little bit more differently by addressing a few things that we might not have been able to do if we were just focusing on ‘that next race’. We tried to make the best of a bad situation.”

On Weir, Woods says: “He’s a legend, isn’t he. What he’s achieved in his career is amazing. I’ve witnessed him first-hand training – he’s an absolute beast.”

The British duo will have their work cut out to beat Switzerland’s Hug and 2019 women’s winner Manuela Schär, though. Hug and Schär will start favourites and are aiming for a Swiss double victory on the multi-lap race that is televised live on BBC Two from 1.10pm.