Weir claims triple gold to be leading Brit athlete (From Sutton Guardian)

Weir claims triple gold to be leading Brit athlete

4:55pm Thursday 14th September 2006 in Local Sports Round-up By Craig Nelson

Wallington-based David Weir was one of the most successful athletes at the International Paralympic Committee World Athletics Championships in Assen, Holland, returning home with four medals - three golds and one silver.

Weir, who competes for Kingsmeadow-based Velocity Wheelchair Racing Club, completed a hat-trick of victories on successive days.

He took the 100m gold on Thursday to add to the 1,500m and 400m - won in a games record of 48.06 seconds - the previous two days.

The sprint event proved a real battle, with Weir clocking 14.34 seconds to push Dutchman Kenny van Weeghel into second place by one-hundredth of a second.

A delighted Weir said afterwards: "I think that was my most satisfying win, as well as the most difficult. The 100m isn't my favourite event."

The 27-year-old continued his impressive form by setting a championship record in winning his 200m heat in 25.31.

But he just failed to make it a clean sweep of gold medals as home-town favourite van Weeghel exacted his revenge, clocking 25.12 to take gold and Weir's championship record.

It was still job done for Weir, who had gone into the championships targeting a single gold.

After collecting his fourth medal in Assen, he said: "I was quite emotional.

"I have had 13 races this week, which is a lot of mental stress, and it does drain you because you have to come up for the races and then down.

"Kenny is a good racer and he was strong today.

"I have still got my 200m world record. I won the ones I really wanted to win."

Weir's Velocity clubmate Tushar Patel finished outside the medals in the marathon.