24.04.2009

Fearnley fires up for London battle

Australian wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley will attempt to erase the only black mark on his marathon dossier with victory in the London Marathon on Sunday.

The two-time Paralympic champion and winner of more than 20 marathons worldwide is yet to taste success on the London circuit, finishing runner-up in 2007 and 2008.

In 2007, his second placing was the only flaw on an otherwise perfect season with wins in his 10 other marathon starts.

Despite an early collision in last year's race Fearnley was still in with a chance heading into the final corner, but could not overcome a bent wheel and Englishman David Weir, finishing less than one metre behind his rival.

After a win in this month's Paris Marathon and a two-week training camp with his coach in the hills of Spain, Fearnley heads into Sunday's race with good form and confidence, determined to add the London title to his impressive resume.

"It was nice to dust the wheels off with a win in Paris," Fearnley said from his London base.

"Last year I skipped (the Paris Marathon) and came into London a little rusty and a little jet-lagged.

"2008 was all about the games in Beijing, but this year London and New York are the two big ones, so I've geared my preparation accordingly.

"After coming so close the last two years, I've got a real hunger for this race and can't wait to get out there on Sunday.”

Fearnley won't have the race all his way, with two-time defending champion and home-town hero Weir lining up alongside the best from the rest of the world, including last week's Boston Marathon winner Ernst Van Dyke of South Africa.

"Dave and Ernst are both great racers and Dave always seems to pull out something special here. The crowd in London is always huge and Dave, of course, gets a lot of their support,” Fearnley said.

“Ernst will be a danger too, he’s in form and has done it here before. He’s been around the traps and we’ve had some great battles.”

Fearnley is looking beyond the challenge of the star duo and suggests the race will end in another tight finish.

"They're not the only two out here and there are plenty of other guys on the start line capable of winning,” he said.

“Everywhere we go the racing is getting tighter and faster and there's more than a dozen blokes who could win a race on any given day.

"London attracts one of the best fields every year, and if I’m good enough and lucky enough to come out on top on Sunday, I'll be a very happy man.”