World-Record Holder Hug Finally Beats Close Rival Weir

Swiss world-record holding wheelchair racer Marcel Hug finally got the better of his British rival David Weir last week beating him over 800m and 5,000m at the Daniela Jutzeler Memorial Competition in Muttenz, Switzerland.

Despite taking a number of World records from Weir last year, Hug has struggled to beat the British Paralympic and World Champion in recent months finishing second to him in the 800m, 1,500m and 5,000m at January’s IPC Athletics World Championships in New Zealand.

However, Hug beat Weir into second over 800m in Muttenz and also 5,000m after the Britain pulled out of the race midway through due to fatigue from a packed racing schedule. Hug powered to victory in a time of 10:18.25 with Australia’s Kurt Fearnley, the reigning World and Paralympic marathon champion, second in 10:19.59 and Switzerland’s Heinz Frei, a winner of 32 Paralympic medals, third in 10:20.31.

Other highlights of the weekend included Hannah Cockroft setting a World record for the 400m T34 race (still to be confirmed by the IPC) in a time of 1:03.49.

Meanwhile, Canada’s Michelle Stilwell came within 12 hundredths of a second of equalling her own World record time in the 100m crossing the finishing line in 19.64 seconds.

America’s Paralympic medallist and World Record holder Tatyana McFadden took first place in the 400m T54 race finishing ahead of the Swiss duo of Edith Hunkeler and Manuela Schar.

The Daniela Jutzeler Memorial is a track event for T34 and T51-54 athletes with races in 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m and 5000m. It saw more than 130 athletes from over 20 countries compete, with many making the A Qualification Standard for events at the London 2012 Paralympic Games.