The Swiss duo returned to the marathon to get pleasure from London victories once more
Marcel Hug and Catherine Debrunner took victories on the TCS 2024 London Marathon this weekend (April 21), making it a double win for Switzerland.
This isn’t the primary time the para athletes have claimed titles in London, with each holding the course data.
Hug celebrated his fourth win in a row whereas Debrunner received her second in three years, following her 2022 victory.
The “Silver Bullet” clocked 1:28:35 in London and led the pack many of the method. Hug started to interrupt away from the main group on the 20 mile mark, crossing the road with an imperious 31-second lead.
“It was robust on the market,” he mentioned. “I needed to go very arduous. I attempted so many occasions to interrupt away and eventually I made it however I’m very blissful. My opponents did very properly, I attempted to make them drained however they had been very robust immediately.
“The situations weren’t ok to interrupt one other course document. It was a really technical race, sluggish after which quick so with these situations I couldn’t go any sooner.”
Marcel Hug (LM Occasions)
The Paralympian received the lads’s wheelchair race in Boston six days earlier in a course document of 75:33 regardless of crashing at one stage. Amazingly he was simply seven seconds in need of the world greatest regardless of the accident.
“I possibly did sluggish a bit of bit down on the corners,” he added. “I would like a little bit of a break now, due to my crash in Boston I nonetheless really feel my chest harm a bit of bit so hopefully that may assist me.”
American Daniel Romanchuk, who received the title in 2019, completed second, enhancing on his fourth place end in London final yr.
Eight-time winner David Weir, now 44, completed behind the pair in third place, clocking 1:29:58. The Brit has had an unbelievable profession, from successful seven Mini London Marathons to celebrating his twenty fifth consecutive look and his twenty first podium end.
He completed in third place final week in Boston, six minutes behind Hug.
David Weir (LM Occasions)
“I simply needed to be on the rostrum, that was the intention,” mentioned Weir. “To be with Marcel [Hug] till 20 miles was taking its toll on me. My physique remains to be sore from final week however I’m simply blissful to be on the rostrum.
“To do again to again podiums is superb. I’ve by no means accomplished them earlier than in order that’s one other tick off my listing. I used to be pondering: ‘What different athletes have ever accomplished that in any sport?’. I simply really feel like we’d like a bit extra publicity and a platform for what we’ve accomplished over time.
“I by no means thought for my first one which I might do 25 years in a row. There have been durations the place I didn’t assume I’d flip up for a few of them resulting from accidents however I at all times made certain that even when I did one race yearly it could be that [London Marathon].
“It’s the place I began and doubtless the place I’ll end. I don’t know when that will likely be however I’m blissful coaching, I get pleasure from coaching and I’m nonetheless competing on the highest stage. As soon as that goes I’ll then be capable of grasp up the gloves.”
“It was very arduous, I attempted so many occasions to interrupt away after which lastly I made it.”
Marcel Hug displays on successful the @LondonMarathon males’s wheelchair race, his fourth win in a row💥
Hug clocked 1:28:35 in London, his personal course document from final yr is 1:23:44🇨🇭
🎙️… pic.twitter.com/sE8UuNXvcU
— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) April 21, 2024