22nd April 2017
BRITS READY FOR WORLD PARA ATHLETICS MARATHON CUP
Six para athletes are set to represent the British team at the Virgin Money London Marathon which incorporates the World Para Athletics Marathon Cup on Sunday.
In the T54 elite men’s wheelchair race, Simon Lawson (coach: Ian Thompson) set his best ever time in Boston last Monday, recording 1:25.06 over the up and down course. After a 10th place finish in London last year, one of four top ten finishes in the World Marathon Majors series in 2016, he will be looking for another one at the 2017 edition.
Alongside Lawson goes compatriot JohnBoy Smith (Jenny Archer) who only started wheelchair racing in 2015. He will be looking to improve upon an 18th place finish from 2016, and after a seventh place finish in Paris earlier this month, he will go into the race in confident mood.
Six-time winner of the London marathon, David Weir (Archer) lines up individually in the hotly contested T54 elite men’s wheelchair race which also stars Paralympic champion, Marcel Hug of Switzerland.
Derek Rae (Ron Morrison) has been in good form so far this year; recently lowering his ten mile personal best. He goes in the T46 race, for para athletes with lower or upper arm impairments. The Paralympian competes in London for the third consecutive year; his best placing was 12th in 2016 where he also set his lifetime best of 2:37.28.
Two-time Paralympian Jade Jones (Ian Thompson / Tanni Grey-Thompson) will go in the women’s T54 marathon alongside a strong field including USA’s Amanda McGrory and Switzerland’s Manuela Schaer. The Briton set a lifetime best of 1:41.44 at the Boston marathon last Monday and is competing in back-to-back marathons for the first time in her career.
In the T52 wheelchair race, Rob Smith (Job King) will line up for his 12th London Marathon whilst at the other end of the spectrum, British team debutant James Price takes part in his first elite race in the capital.
The British Athletics team for the World Para Athletics Marathon Cup in London on 23 April 2017
Men’s T53/T54 elite wheelchair:
Simon Lawson (Ian Thompson)
John Smith (Jenny Archer)
Women’s T53/T54 Elite Wheelchair:
Jade Jones (Ian Thompson / Tanni Grey-Thompson)
T46 Elite Ambulant:
Derek Rae (Ron Morrison)
T51/T52 Elite Wheelchair:
Rob Smith (Job King)
James Price
(David Weir (Jenny Archer) competes individually in the T54 elite wheelchair race at the Virgin London Marathon)