David Weir (wheelchair athlete)
David Russell Weir, CBE (born 5 June 1979) is a British Paralympic wheelchair athlete. He has won a total of six gold medals at the 2008 and 2012 Paralympic Games, and has won the London Marathon on seven occasions. He was born with a spinal cord transection that left him unable to use his legs.
Weir was born in Wallington, part of the London Borough of Sutton. He cannot use his legs due to a congenital spinal cord transection. As a child he was a talented wheelchair athlete, representing Sutton in wheelchair athletics at the London Youth Games, and won the junior event at the London marathon (the mini wheelchair race) seven times. At school Weir was frustrated by a lack of sporting activities for wheelchair users, but after years of persistence he developed a skill for wheelchair racing that would define his career and lead to multiple Paralympic successes.
Weir is in a relationship with Emily Thorne with whom he has two sons, Mason, and Lenny, and a daughter, Tillia Grace London Weir. He also has a daughter, Ronie, from a previous relationship. After winning the 800m at the 2012 Paralympics Weir said "I have really got to thank Emily for calming me down, and this one is for my kids tonight."
In 2002 Jenny Archer became Weir's coach and was thanked by Weir after his first London marathon victory in 2002. They have had a long and fruitful sporting relationship, and Jenny was acknowledged again in 2012 as the "best in the world by far" by Weir.
Along with coach Jenny Archer, Weir runs the Weir Archer Academy (launched April 2013). The Academy's goal is to increase participation in disability sport and nurture the next generation of Paralympians.
In 2007 Weir joined Lucozade Sport as an Ambassador for their line of energy drinks.
Weir has often acknowledged the help that Lottery funding has given him in being able to compete as an elite athlete. He told the Telegraph: "For me personally, Lottery funding through UK Sport for 10 years has been life-changing and has helped me become the best wheelchair racer in the world." Weir trains at Kingsmeadow Athletics Stadium, in Kingston upon Thames.
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