Fearnley, who ended Weir’s sequence of three London victories last year when he defeated the Carshalton athlete by a second in a course record of 1 hour 28min 56sec, reflected today on the dispute over the 2008 Paralympic 800m final which caused the rift between the two athletes.

Weir maintained last week that there is still a lot of bitterness on his part following the protest which Fearnley, who finished in silver medal position, had lodged after he had won the gold, on the basis that he had been preparing for - and had adjusted his chair to accommodate - a race from lane six, his original draw, rather than from lane two which was where he raced from on the night.

Weir kept his gold, but only after threatening to pull out of the re-run which was initially proposed before the Australian team rescinded their protest 24 hours later.

He maintains that Fearnley accepted the more favourable position of a second lane draw but then protested when the race did not go according to plan.

"All that hasn’t entered my mind for a long time," Fearnley said.

"For me, mate, she’s gone since two weeks after the Games.

"Shit happens.

"You deal with it, or you don’t..."

Fearnley said he was looking forward to renewing his rivalry with Weir.

"It’s definitely far from being a two-man race.

"There’s a lot of guys here who can win this race. 

"But it’s always good to race against David.

"He is one of the toughest blokes I have race anywhere in the last 15 years.

"London is a tough old course for me. It’s an anyone’s race - relatively flat, which means there is usually a sprint at the end.

"If I could do a race in the Alps I would be pretty happy.

"This is definitely the toughest London race in terms of the field. In the Paralympics you get the 60-70 top guys, so she’s different, but this is one of the toughest races I have ever entered and the toughest London by far."

Fearnley acknowledged that his last-minute flight from Sydney to London had involved unusual pressures.



"Never have I had a lead-up to a race like this," he said. “
 
"I got in to London a few hours ago and I’m a wreck.

"I just need to get some kip now.

"It’s not the ideal preparation for a race, but you only have so many races at this level, and what’s happened has happened.

"Sometimes you get stuff given to you and you’ve just got to go with it.

"There was about 48 hours when I thought I was not going to defend my title, when I was well and truly on the sidelines.

"On Tuesday I was told there was absolutely no chance in the world of me getting to London.

"When I heard it was all off, that was my start of the year written off, because my next  plan is for October.

"So I relaxed a little, I guess.

"I just completely switched off, and phoned a few mates who came over for a few commiseration drinks.

"The next morning I woke up to hear that I would definitely be flying out the next day.

"I had such a big headache I didn’t think I would make the flight.

"But not being here would have been worse than last place.

"So if I get above last place on Sunday, it will be a result."

He knows, and Weir knows, that he is not likely to be anywhere near last when the race comes around, sleep-deprived or not.

But Weir (pictured) is encouraged by the fact that he has sorted his new wheelchair into a state of optimum adjustment and he has been going very well recently alongside his temporary training partner, Josh Cassidy of Canada.

"I wasn’t as well prepared as I wanted to be last year,"said Weir.

"I took several months off after the Beijing Paralympics.

"This year my training has got better and better."

"Asked to repay the compliment Fearnley had just paid him, Weir sportingly complied.

"Kurt’s the best - one of the best - wheelchair racers in the world,"he said.

"And of course we’ll always have a beer after the race.

"I haven’t had a beer since September so I’m dying for one..."


Related stories
April 2010: Weir prepares for another crack at his least favourite rival in London
April 2010: Fearnley back in the London Marathon after Qantas offer
April 2010: Air chaos prevents Australia’s Fearnley defending London wheelchair title