How Paralympic star David Weir’s mystery benefactor helped transform the Team GB athlete’s performance with a generous state-of-the-art gift

Six-time Paralympic champion David Weir has thanked an unnamed supporter for buying him a new wheelchair that he hopes can help him medal at Paris 2024.

Weir is competing in the 1,500m, 5,000m and marathon events in France this summer, where the 45-year-old will be much older than many of his rivals.

The London born Team GB star – who cannot use his legs due to a congenital spinal cord transection – won four medals in his home city in 2012.

Weir finished first in the 1,500m, 5,000m, 800m and marathon competitions in London, having also won 1,500m and 800m gold in Beijing four years earlier.

But Weir was unable to add to his medal collection at Rio 2016. He also came up short at the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021.

The Team GB star pictured celebrating after crossing the finish line in the 800m final in 2012

Weir had been racing in a 10-year old aluminium chair, while Switzerland’s Marcel Hug – who won four golds in Tokyo – was surrounded by high-tech carbon fibre.

‘Other countries have gone away from us,’ Weir said. ‘It’s not all down to the chair but it helps a lot.’ 

However, Weir’s chances of renewed success have since been boosted by a mystery benefactor giving him a state-of-the-art racing chair.

Weir received the game-changing gift after he finished third in last year’s London marathon, nine minutes behind champion Hug.

‘It really changed everything that one call and I couldn’t be more grateful,’ added Weir, after refusing to reveal the identity of his kind supporter. 

‘It’s really helped me mentally, it’s a joy to be in, it’s a piece of machinery made especially for me, it’s the best chair I’ve ever raced in.

‘I’ve enjoyed training so much in the last eight or nine months. Marcel wiped us all out in Tokyo because he had this chair that had been under wraps, now I feel like I’m competitive.

Weir was unable to add to his list of Paralympic medals at Rio 2016 or in Tokyo five years later 

Weir competed in an old aluminium wheelchair at Tokyo 2020, which took place in 2021

But Weir has since upgraded to a new state-of-the-art wheelchair after it was gifted to him

‘I didn’t think I’d do another Games after London but I had a year off and decide to have a crack at Rio and then I was still around at Tokyo too.

‘I always feel like I’m chasing something but this Games I feel I’ve prepared as well as I could have done.

‘I’ve worked so hard to get back in the top three in the world, a few years ago I probably wouldn’t be in the top 20 and I’m pretty proud of myself.’