Weir, who was also passed by Switzerland’s Marcel Hug, could barely bring himself to wheel his new chair over the line as he finished third in 1 hour 37min 01sec.

Cassidy’s winning time was 1:35.21, with Hug second in 1:36.07.

A puncture also undermined the challenge of Britain’s leading female wheelchair racer Shelly Woods, who led at the 20km mark before her technical malfunction.

The title went to Japan’s Tsuchida Wakako in 1:52:33   - the first London win for a woman who had won her fourth consecutive Boston title a week earlier.

Sandra Graf of Switzerland, the 2008 winner, lost out in the sprint finish, clocking 1:52:34, with the defending champion from the United States, Amanda McGrory, two seconds behind her.

Weir’s much-anticipated re-match with the man who ended his three-year winning sequence here last year, Kurt Fearnley, never really materialised as the Australian Paralympic champion was clearly not his usual combative self after a week when he had given up on being able to travel from Sydney, only to get a last-minute flight which arrived on Friday.

The Briton, who was seeking to become only the second wheelchair racer to win more than four London titles - the first being his compatriot Tanni Grey-Thompson - had made his intentions clear right from the start of a race for which he believed he had prepared far more thoroughly than the previous one.

At 10km, Weir and Japan’s Kota Hokinoue were 18 seconds clear, stretching it to 36 seconds by 15km, after which Weir took over.

At 20km, Weir (pictured) was more than a minute ahead of a challenging field headed by Cassidy, and the gap was still 28 seconds at 35km, even though by that point Weir's front tyre on his new wheelchair had punctured.

"Even when the front tyre went, I knew I had a great lead because of the speed I had been pushing at," Weir said.

"But as soon as my back tyre went, after about 20 miles, it became almost impossible to keep going.

"When that happens you can’t turn, you can’t do anything.



"I still had to crack on, because there were only six miles left. It got harder and harder to keep rolling.

"If I’d done it at 23 miles there would have been no problem.

"But once I saw Josh come up to me I knew I couldn’t win because I know how well he’s been going in the last couple of weeks.

"And then Marcel came past me.

"But I don’t think there’s been anyone who has punctured in the last six miles of a major marathon and still finished third."

Cassidy passed his training partner about a mile from the finish line.

"I could see he had a flat," he said, "but I just went on, because I wasn’t sure if he was going to come back at me."

The Canadian, a graphic artist with ambitions to work for Marvel comic books, acknowledged his victory with a raucous shout as he crossed the line.

As he did so, there was a touch of the Wolverine, one of his favourite characters, about him.

Cassidy indicated that Weir had suffered the effects of choosing faster tyres that ran the risk of puncturing in bad conditions.

But Weir maintained he had not made any tactical choice of that nature. 

"I used the same tyres as I always have," he said.

"There was nothing I could do about it."

Fearnley, who beat Weir by a second last year in setting a course record of 1:28:56, had only arrived in London on Friday, having been told earlier in the week that he would definitely not be able to make the journey because of the volcanic ash crisis.

When it seemed his challenge was not going to take place he went out with some mates and had what he described as a "commiseration drink" only to wake up the next day with a sore head - and the news that he needed to pack in a hurry and get to the airport...

"Never have I had a lead-up to a race like this," he said after arriving on Friday.

"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.

"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."

From that point of view, he will have to have been content with fifth place in 1:41:37.


Related stories
April 2010: Fearnley tells London wheelchair marathon rival Weir: "Get over it"
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