Wheelchair athlete Weir makes history breaking three minutes for mile

London, May 29 (IANS) David Weir made history on Sunday as he became the first wheelchair athlete to complete a mile in under three minutes at the Vitality Westminster Mile festival of road racing in central London.

The six-time London Marathon wheelchair winner was blessed with warm sun and dry roads as he flew around the course that skirts St James's Park in the heart of Westminster to cross the finish line in front of Buckingham Palace, clocking two minutes 57 seconds to smash his former world best time of 3:03, reports Xinhua.

It was a fitting way to mark this Paralympic year at the fourth edition of an event set up as part of the legacy programme for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"I've always said I could do it," said Weir, who described his commanding victory over South African rival Ernst van Dyk as a "perfect race".

Weir claimed the fourth of his quartet of London 2012 gold medals when he won the Paralympic Games wheelchair marathon on these streets two years ago but could only finish third at last month's London Marathon.

--IANS

pur/dg