News
14 March 2017Noisy home fans make a world of difference
I’ve got an 11-week block of training to get into, leading into the summer, with the world championships in London in July. Last year I was adapting to returning to the coaching stable of Dan Pfaff and had a lot to take on board in order to win Paralympic gold for a second time, but it worked out well.
Maybe not even I felt it would pay off as well as it did. I knew with Dan I was coming back to what I knew and what I was familiar with from when he was my coach previously.
This winter, I started my indoor campaign as fast as I’ve ever run at this stage before. I did three races in a two-week period, just to see where I’m at.
We’re going into the stadium first — before the able-bodied championships — and I’m hoping for great support as I look to win a second T44 100metres world crown.
I think as a team we will raise our game for London. I struggle to run fast at smaller meets — a bigger crowd spurs me on. It helps me mentally to know it’s a big occasion.
Paralympic icon Weir should be given the utmost respect
DAVID WEIR is a legend — in my opinion the best Paralympian ever. His achievements are unparalleled in the UK and globally he has been one of the Paralympic movement’s greatest icons.
David should always command respect. I don’t know the truth about the stories about him and Jenni Banks, the head of the British wheelchair racing programme, in Rio last year but if they are true, I find it disgusting he was treated in such a way.
I have full faith in our Paralympic head coach Paula Dunn but I believe change is necessary in some areas of the set-up in the wake of these alleged incidents.
■ OVER 90,000 London school children are coming to the London 2017 World Para Athletics Championships. School applications are open until March 24 for £3 child tickets and accompanying teachers free at paraathleticschampionships.com/schools