Cassidy celebrates first marathon victory
Canadian newcomer Josh Cassidy celebrated his first marathon title when he won the Virgin London Wheelchair Marathon. After months of training and competing against the world's greatest, his victory points to a successful road racing future.
All talk in the build-up had been about Australian Kurt Fearnley and Briton David Weir. But Cassidy's tactical performance was enough to secure their victory and prize money of $15,000.
The drizzly weather at the start hinted towards a slow race with the athletes more wary of wet conditions. Cassidy chose slower tyres than Weir, who used a new Draft racing chair built for endurance. The 25-year-old Canadian said: "The weather played a part today. I haven't trained in rain for three months so I didn't expect the result today, but it means so much to me".
For the last few weeks, Cassidy, a graphic designer, has been training with Weir in London. Weir rated him as a rival, saying he was in good form, but at 5km the British racer was leading the pack of seven men. Fearnley, the reigning champion, was already 22 seconds behind. At 10km, Weir and the Japanese, Kota Hokinoue, moved ahead slightly, with Fearnley lagging three minutes behind the pack.
By Tower Bridge Weir had a comfortable lead with Cassidy a minute behind. The Briton has four London titles on his belt and now looked odds on to claim a fifth.
But it all changed when he reached the Embankment, with the finish line virtually in sight. Weir had suffered a puncture to his front tyre at 15 miles, so when he got another on his back wheel at 20 miles, he knew the title was over. Cassidy passed Weir and went on to claim victory in 1:35:21.
Switzerland's Marcel Hug took second in 1:36:06 on his first London Marathon. The 24-year-old, who has won the Padua Marathon in the past, much prefers track to road. He said: "I am very pleased to come second with such quality people around me. But that's the end of road racing for me now. I'm going back to the track!"
Weir battled through the punctures and crossed the line in a respectable, yet unfortunate, third in 1:37:01.
He said: "I tried my hardest but it was like doing another 20 miles on top when I got two punctures. As soon as your back tyres go, it's a struggle to go very far. I was in great shape this year and felt back to normal after my illness, but it's obviously disappointing."
Cassidy was elated with his biggest win so far on the marathon circuit. He said: "I knew it was going to be a tough race as I've been with some of these guys before but I was really excited about competing in London for the first time.
"There are lots of great races in this country and London is definitely one of them."
Hokinoue was fourth in 1:40:59 while the course record holder, Fearnley, came fifth in 1:41:37. Nine-times Boston winner, Ernst Van Dyk of South Africa, finished sixth in 1:44:11.
London debutante Wakako Tsuchida of Japan won her second major marathon title in a week this morning as she won the women's wheelchair race at the 2010 Virgin London Marathon.
While Tsuchida was a worthy winner, Britain's best racer Shelly Woods suffered the same fate as Weir when she suffered from a punctured tyre.
The line-up included the course record holder, Sandra Graf, and reigning champion Amanda McGrory. Blackpool-based Woods and Canadian Diane Roy were both in with a chance too after Australian Christie Dawes withdrew earlier this week.
Tsuchida, a newcomer to London, won her fourth Boston title in a row only last Monday, but was thought to be inexperienced on the tactical London course.
Woods was part of the leading pack from the start and looked comfortable. Roy, who finished third last year, dropped off the pack at 25km when she sufferd a puncture and had to pull out. That left four to compete for the title - Woods, McGrory, Graf and Tsuchida.
In wheelchair racing, it can often come to a sprint finish, and all racers are accustomed to sprint finishes in marathons.
By half way, it was obvious this one was not going to be any different, and Woods seemed in with a chance to take her second London win three years after her first. But disaster struck when she blew tyres in the last few miles, ending her hopes for victory in this year's race.
Coming into the finish straight, McGrory looked likely to retain her title, but Tsuchida's class finish was simply too good. She crossed the line in 1:52:33.
A surprised Tsuchida said: "I had images about this race before I started and knew experience mattered. It was always going to be tactical so I was expecting a sprint finish. The weather was bad at the beginning and even though I've just won Boston, I really wanted to win."
Second placed Sandra Graf clocked 1:52:34 but the respected racer said: "I got a slight puncture in my front tyre at about 30km. I'm not one to make excuses but it may have been a little different if we had dry conditions."
McGrory was sad not to retain her title, finishing in 1:52:36, but enjoyed another opportunity to race on the London course. "It was great to be involved in such a tight race," she said. "I was fine all the way but in the last 300yards my arms just seemed to give way."
Meanwhile, the disappointed Woods, who continued despite the punctures, came in sixth in 2:45:40. "There's nothing like racing at home and at the London Marathon," she said. "It's just a shame I couldn't show my sprint finish, but I will be back."