David Weir wins fourth Paralympic gold
Crowds line The Mall to cheer David Weir to his fourth gold of the London 2012 Paralympic Games, taking the men’s wheelchair marathon title.
The 33-year-old made it a quadruple crown as tens of thousands of fans packed the capital’s baking hot streets to roar on the star.
David Weir told Channel 4 he thought he was “going to die” in the first six miles of the race because of the pace being set by his competitors.
He described winning his fourth gold of the Games as a “dream come true” and said the crowds had been “amazing”.
Nicknamed The Weirwolf, the London-born star is unbeaten in the Games, having won gold in 800m, 1500m and 5000m as well as the 26.2 mile marathon.
Weir has cemented himself as a household name and had the ecstatic crowd, who lined The Mall, howling with delight for his fourth gold to cap a stunning clean sweep.
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London 2012 Chairman Lord Coe paid tribute to Weir: “He has just had a majestic Games. He is a phenomenal athlete.”
ParalympicsGB’s Shelly Woods took silver in the women’s event.
The marathon medals mean Great Britain will finish third in the medal table behind China and Russia.
London 2012 bosses will later reveal who will be Britain’s flagbearer at tonight’s closing ceremony.
Organisers said the event will take on a festival feel – featuring flames, armed forces personnel and a legion of “travellers”
British chart-toppers Coldplay will play an “unusual setlist” designed to represent the seasons of the year.
