Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner took victories on the TCS 2024 London Marathon this weekend (April 21), making it a double win for Switzerland.
This isn’t the primary time the para athletes have claimed titles in London, with each holding the course information.
Hug celebrated his fourth win in a row whereas Debrunner bought her second in three years, following her 2022 victory.
The “Silver Bullet” clocked 1:28:35 in London and led the pack a lot of the method. Hug started to interrupt away from the main group on the 20 mile mark, crossing the road with an imperious 31-second lead.
“It was robust on the market,” he mentioned. “I needed to go very arduous. I attempted so many occasions to interrupt away and at last I made it however I’m very glad. My opponents did very effectively, I attempted to make them drained however they had been very sturdy at present.
“The circumstances weren’t ok to interrupt one other course report. It was a really technical race, sluggish after which quick so with these circumstances I couldn’t go any sooner.”
Marcel Hug (LM Occasions)
The Paralympian gained the lads’s wheelchair race in Boston six days earlier in a course report of 75:33 regardless of crashing at one stage. Amazingly he was simply seven seconds wanting the world finest regardless of the accident.
“I possibly did sluggish somewhat bit down on the corners,” he added. “I would like a little bit of a break now, due to my crash in Boston I nonetheless really feel my chest harm somewhat bit so hopefully that can assist me.”
American Daniel Romanchuk, who gained the title in 2019, completed second, bettering on his fourth place end in London final yr.
Eight-time winner David Weir, now 44, completed behind the pair in third place, clocking 1:29:58. The Brit has had an unimaginable profession, from successful seven Mini London Marathons to celebrating his twenty fifth consecutive look and his twenty first podium end.
He completed in third place final week in Boston, six minutes behind Hug.
David Weir (LM Occasions)
“I simply wished to be on the rostrum, that was the purpose,” mentioned Weir. “To be with Marcel [Hug] till 20 miles was taking its toll on me. My physique remains to be sore from final week however I’m simply glad to be on the rostrum.
“To do again to again podiums is superb. I’ve by no means executed them earlier than in order that’s one other tick off my listing. I used to be pondering: ‘What different athletes have ever executed that in any sport?’. I simply really feel like we want a bit extra publicity and a platform for what we’ve executed over time.
“I by no means thought for my first one which I might do 25 years in a row. There have been durations the place I didn’t suppose I’d flip up for a few of them attributable to accidents however I all the time made certain that even when I did one race yearly it could be that [London Marathon].
“It’s the place I began and possibly the place I’ll end. I don’t know when that shall be however I’m glad coaching, I take pleasure in coaching and I’m nonetheless competing on the highest stage. As soon as that goes I’ll then be capable to hold up the gloves.”
“It was very arduous, I attempted so many occasions to interrupt away after which lastly I made it.”
Marcel Hug displays on successful the @LondonMarathon males’s wheelchair race, his fourth win in a row💥
Hug clocked 1:28:35 in London, his personal course report from final yr is 1:23:44🇨🇭
🎙️… pic.twitter.com/sE8UuNXvcU
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 21, 2024
