For the Weirwolf, Paris is the last hurrah. David Weir, one of the first Paralympians to break through into public consciousness in the UK, announced his retirement from international competition at the age of 45 after finishing fifth in the men’s T54 wheelchair marathon on the final day of competition.
It was a tired looking Weir, body battered after negotiating the cobbles of the Champs-Élysées on a windy day in a racing chair without suspension, who drew the curtain on his Paralympic career.
“I knew today would be it. I just feel it’s the right thing for me,” Weir said after crossing the finish line in the gorgeous setting of Invalides more than five minutes behind the winner, his longtime rival and occasional training partner, Marcel Hug.
“[I feel] proud, very emotional. To span that career since 1996 and before that – I nearly got selected for Barcelona as a 14-year-old. I’ve had bad years and good years, but that’s just the way I’ve worked.”
He may not have a medal to show for it – failing to get beyond the heats in the 1500m and finishing eighth in the 5,000m final – but his Paris experience has been a largely happy one, though he said he would have a few suggestions to put quietly to the organisers. “Paris has been great,” he said. “The village has been great, the organisation, everything. It’s a good one to end on.”
In seven Games, Weir notched up 10 Paralympic medals in all – including those four magical gold medals in London over 800m, 1500m, 5,000m and the marathon, and all within a week of each other – as well as six golds in the world championships.
With the momentum of 2012 behind him, he and his coach, Jenny Archer, set up the Weir Archer academy in 2013, which has become a major hub for wheelchair athletics. One of their own, Marcus Perrineau-Daley, clinched silver in the T52 100m at the Stade de France on Friday and Weir is determined to keep pushing athletes through to top‑class competition.
In a Paralympic career that spanned nearly 30 years, beginning with his debut in Atlanta as a callow teenager, there have been highs and lows. He name‑checked Rio – where he did not win a medal, and said he was accused of throwing a race – as his worst Games. And after London – “the big one” – he plumped for Athens, where he won silver and bronze, as his favourite.
“To come back from having time out and getting on that podium for the first time, that was probably my proudest moment. I didn’t think I’d ever do it, and then that gave me the stepping stone to want more and more and more. I think if I didn’t win there, I probably wouldn’t be here now.”
This is not the end of Weir the athlete. He enjoys doing city marathons, and he will be in Berlin in two weeks and plans to do London next year. But it is time to put away the GB vest. “I’m always proud to wear the flag. It’s quite sad that I won’t wear it again.”
It was also a difficult day for Britain’s Eden Rainbow-Cooper who pulled up during the women’s T54 marathon with a back injury originally sustained on the track.
As for Weir, he has other plans. He hopes to usher his side hustle – house music – centre stage. “I love music. I’ve got a few contacts that I’ve made and that’s what I want to do. It’s been my passion since I was a kid. It’s my downtime. I’m passionate about certain music, just electric, house music. I’m big fan of DJing and stuff like that.”
The Weirwolf in a warehouse. It does have a certain ring to it.
