We recently caught up with Nissan ambassador David Weir CBE to find out how the wheelchair athlete is faring with the Paralympic Games in Rio just around the corner.
“Rio 2016 will be my fifth Paralympic Games, but I still get really excited every time, I get that same buzz every time I pull on a ParalympicsGB vest.
That’s no different from 20 years ago when I first represented ParalympicsGB in Atlanta, I just want to go out there and perform at my best ability, and try to win medals for my country.
Since I first competed at the Games, wheelchair racing has changed a lot. The technology has improved a lot and people are getting faster and faster, we can hit crazy speeds on the track.
A lot of nations are now competing professionally with world-class athletes, so the sport really has moved forward very quickly in just 20 years.
London 2012 was so good that I think it destroyed every other Paralympic Games in the past. I think a lot of people came along to see disability sport, but then when they came along, they realised they were watching fantastic sport that totally blew them away.
It was a massive event for this country and I think it changed people’s minds on how hard we train and how much we want to be the very best in our sport.
We are the same as Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill, and everyone else, we train at the same level and I think people realise that now, thanks to London 2012.
I can’t wait to get out to Rio, I just want to get started now. After seeing Team GB do so well at the Olympic Games, I just want to get out there and compete on that world stage again.
Watching all the phenomenal success at the Olympics has really whet my appetite. I just went crazy – every time I came home from training, I was watching all the repeats and watching them all do so well, it just blew me away. Now it’s our turn.
I’m feeling really good in myself, all the signs show that I’m in good shape, but while I have improved since 2012, so has the rest of the world.
I’ve got to make sure I can deliver on the day. I definitely feel ready for it, but in our sport, it all depends on being in the right position and being the first over the line, but I’m ready for the challenge.
I felt a lot of pressure going into London 2012 as I was one of the faces of the Games, but I don’t feel that this time because the whole athletics team has been doing so well.
Now, it’s not all down to me to hit the medal targets as it maybe was four years ago, but of course, I’m going to try and win as many medals as I can, that’s what I train for.”
Nissan Ancaster are proud to support David Weir on his road to the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. To find out more about Nissan’s partnership with ParalympicsGB, visit nissan.co.uk/uniteandexcite
