David Weir is first wheelchair racer to complete a mile in under three minutes
By Mark Ashenden
Last Updated: 29/05/16 7:31pm
David Weir made history on Sunday when he broke three minutes in a wheelchair race in the Westminster Mile in London.
The Briton clocked two minutes and 57 seconds - beating his previous world best by six seconds - to secure his latest achievement after six victories at the London Marathon.
"I've always said I could do it," said Weir, who finished ahead of South African rival Ernst van Dyk and also won four gold medals at London 2012.
"I knew it was possible and training has gone really well. I knew I had to get off to a quick start and that Ernst would chase hard. I knew from last year that my start let me down.
"I was more relaxed down Birdcage Walk, but I was still pushing at 22mph and that's not bad.
"I wanted to prove a point that I was still up there with the best in the world."
Victory secured Weir's fourth consecutive Westminster Mile title, and comes after he finished third in last month's London Marathon.
Roger Bannister, who in 1954 was the first man to run a mile in under four minutes, sent Weir "all my congratulations for his huge achievement".
Nick Goolab won the British Athletics men's road mile title, while Sarah McDonald won the women's senior title.
Britain's athletes will head to Italy next month for the IPC Athletics European Championships in Grosseto (June 10-16).
