The wheelchair racer is aiming to prove he is still one of the best in the hugely talented T54 class, which he considers the strongest in Paralympic sport.

Weir, one of more than 1,000 athletes from 70 countries competing in Christchurch, New Zealand, will be looking to repeat his success of four years ago when he claimed three world titles.

But having lost a number of his world records to Switzerland's 'Silver Bullet' Marcel Hug this year, the Londoner is well aware he has work to do to prove he is still the man to beat.

"The classification I'm in - T54 for men - is the toughest in the world," said the 31-year-old.

"To be in the top three [alongside Hug and Australia's Kurt Fearnley] is great.

"It's like being an able-bodied sprinter as there is just so much competition.

"To be in the top three proves you're one of the best.

"Everyone is coming up to the standard I was three years ago.

"Back then I was a step ahead in training and a step ahead in racing, but now it's a case of knocking hundredths of seconds off times rather than full seconds."

In Christchurch, Weir will be racing over a number of distances and has singled out a number of his rivals as people he must beat in order to win gold.

"Marcel is currently the world's best at 800 metres upwards - he's definitely the one to beat," he said.

"I think the pressure is on him as he's now got four world records.

"I also need to look out for Kurt Fearnley.

"I don't think he's on the track at the World Championships - just the marathon - so he's going to be the one to watch in that.

"It's just his one race and he's pretty good at it - in fact he's unbeaten at a major championships in the marathon [although Weir did put down a marker by claiming victory ahead of the Australian at the 2010 New York Marathon in October, pictured].

"Ernst Van Dyk is always a danger on the road and then on the track in addition to Marcel you've got Josh Cassidy and the Chinese, if they come - you never know with them.

"Really, though, you can't tell until you get there as there is always someone who comes through the ranks from nowhere."


Should Weir win a number of gold medals in Christchurch he will go a step further to emulating his hero Heinz Frei, the Swiss wheelchair racer who won 32 Paralympic Games medals, including 14 golds, during a glittering career.

"I loved watching him race and dominate people on the track," said Weir.

"He would absolutely destroy the field and they could not live with him.

"I always wanted to be like that - break world records and dominate races so that no one could compete against me.

"What made my day was when I raced Frei at the able-bodied European Championships in Gothenburg.

"I beat him by about 80 metres in the 1500m and when we were getting our medals he shook my hand and said it was a privilege to be in the race with me.

"That's when I started to realise that someone I looked up to at an early age now had that much respect for me."

Weir has since gone on to become one of the major stars in Paralympic sport but admitted that he wants to continue to prove he is the best in a great field of athletes.

"I say that going into all major championships because the T54 men's event is the toughest in the world," he said.

"If you win one, great, but if you win more you are a greater racer.

"I'd be happy to come away with gold in one and top three in the rest."

The 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships run from January 21-30.

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November 2010: Weir races to victory in New York City Marathon
October 2010: Exclusive - London 2012 might be it for me says wheelchair racer Weir
September 2010: Sweet revenge for Weir at Great North Run
August 2010: Weir beaten by Hug at Crystal Palace
July 2010: Weir discovers reason for poor form