15 September 2016 

There was a sixth place finish for David Weir (coach: Jenny Archer) in the T54 800m final on a quiet morning for ParalympicsGB at the Estadio Olimpico.

In a loaded field, it was a tough test for the multiple Paralympic medallist. He sat near the back of the pack after the first lap and despite his best efforts to make his move on the back straight, the leading three powered away in dominant fashion. Weir eventually placed sixth after a disqualification to the Tunisian athlete Yassine Gharbi.

Weir, who recorded a time of 1:35.20, spoke afterwards: “How do you think I feel? That’s racing, the category has come on a long way in four years and the guys have worked hard. I can’t make any excuses today, I just wasn’t good enough. I didn’t feel as sharp as yesterday (in the heats).”

With the heats of the T53-54 4x400m relay taking place tomorrow as well as the marathon on Sunday, the Weir-Wolf still has chances to triumph yet again on the Paralympic stage.

The 37 year old said ahead of those events: “It’s going to be tough – there are some very good teams from China, Thailand, South Korea – we’ll try our best. I’ll be doing the marathon as well, of course. It’s a fast flat course but I’m looking forward to it as it’ll be my last Paralympic race.”

ParalympicsGB Athletics medal tally: (25)

Gold (13):

Hollie Arnold – F46 Javelin

Jo Butterfield – F51 Club Throw

Libby Clegg & Chris Clarke – T11 100m and 200m

Kadeena Cox – T38 400m

Hannah Cockroft – T34 100m and 400m

Aled Davies – F42 Shot Put

Sophie Hahn – T38 100m

Georgie Hermitage – T37 100m and 400m

Jonnie Peacock – T44 100m

Richard Whitehead – T42 200m

Silver (4):

Kare Adenegan – T34 100m

Jonathan Broom-Edwards – T44 High Jump

Toby Gold – T33 100m

Stef Reid – T44 long jump

Bronze (8):

Kare Adenegan – T34 400m

Kadeena Cox – T38 100m

Gemma Prescott – F32 club throw

Sabrina Fortune – F20 shot put

Stephen Miller – F32 Club Throw

Andrew Small – T33 100m 

David Henson – T42 200m  

Maria Lyle – T35 100m