Daily Star

Weir up for top prize

- By ROB MAUL

DAVID WEIR reckons it is only a matter of time before a Paralympia­n is crowned BBC Sports Personalit­y of the Year.

For decades, disabled athletes operated in the sporting shadows without any recognitio­n or respect for their outstandin­g exploits.

That all changed at the London 2012 Games with wheelchair racer Weir winning four gold medals.

The South Londoner, who was voted into fifth place in SPOTY 2012, feels the British public will one day celebrate a Paralympia­n at the BBC’s end-of-year awards show.

Weir, 36, said: “I wouldn’t like to see us given a separate, disability award at the show. We want to be part of the main award.

“I know it’s going to take years and years and years before someone wins it, but it will happen, probably for something special they have achieved.

“The year I was nominated I was probably unlucky in that Bradley Wiggins was in there for the Tour de France. And Jessica Ennis-Hill, too.

“But just to be nominated, to come fifth in the top 12, was great. You talk to most Paralympia­ns and all they want is recognitio­n of what we have done.

“We have been winning medals for Great Britain for many years.”

The highlight of Sunday’s National Paralympic Day will see Weir return to the Olympic Stadium – where he remains unbeaten in finals – for a special T54 1500m race.

On the start line will be Swiss racer Marcel Hug, who has yet to inflict a major track race defeat on rival Weir.

They battled four times at London 2012 with Weir winning four golds to Hug’s two silvers. Yet Weir has dismissed any suggestion­s the pair will be the only ones in contention at the Rio 2016 Paralympic­s.

He said: “The strength in depth in our sport is fierce, especially from the likes of Japan, China and Thailand.

“You can’t just put it down to me and Marcel. Other guys are going to be a lot closer come Rio.”

Tickets to see Weir at the National Paralympic Day are available from the Olympic Stadium from 9am or by visiting www. britishath­letics.org.uk

 ??  ?? GOLDEN BOY: David Weir celebrates winning gold in the Men’s 1500m at the 2012 London Olympics
GOLDEN BOY: David Weir celebrates winning gold in the Men’s 1500m at the 2012 London Olympics

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