London 2012 Paralympics | GB Hopefuls

With 2012 now here and the London Olympics and Paralympics knocking on the door Mike Buss takes a look at a couple of our British Paralympics hopefuls.

Libby Clegg | 100m & 200m:

Libby suffers from Stargardt’s Disease, a deteriorating eye condition and only has slightly peripheral vision in her left eye.  Libby started her athletics career back when she was 11yrs old, training at a non-disability club in Cheshire, but when her family relocated to Scotland a year later she attended the Royal Blind School in Edinburgh and continued to train with a non-disability group.

Early on, Libby was offered support from British Blind Sport and through the Edinburgh Royal Blind School. Her first major success was at 16yrs old where she came second for silver medal place in the IPC Athletics World Championships in the 200m in 2006.

From there Libby went from strength to strength and at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics she ran two personal bests in both the 100m (12.51secs) and 200m (26.16secs) taking home the 100m silver medal.

David Weir | 800m & 5000m:

David is known as the world’s fastest wheelchair racer…  Born with spinal cord transaction which left him without the use of his legs.  Even though in a wheelchair he took up athletics at the tender age of 8yrs old and by 17yrs he had already taken part in his first Paralympics in Atlanta 1996.

In 2000 he won the wheelchair New York Marathon.  David then dropped out of the sport missing the Sydney 2000 Paralympics, returning in 2004 in Athens to win a silver in the 100m and bronze in the 200m, 3 gold medals at the 2006 IPC World Championships and a double gold at the Beijing Paralympics in the 800m and 1500m.

David has also won the London Marathon Wheelchair race four times and holds the British record for all track distances up to 5000m as well as the road at 10km, half marathon and marathon.

Tags: 2012, David Weir, GB, Great Britain, Libby Clegg, Olympics, Paralympics

Category: Celebs, Inspirational People