1 00:00:07,350 --> 00:00:09,710 When was the first time you got a sense 2 00:00:09,710 --> 00:00:13,710 this was going to be the biggest thing you were ever involved in? 3 00:00:13,710 --> 00:00:16,230 New Year's Day, I think, 2012,... 4 00:00:16,230 --> 00:00:20,390 'Good morning to you, David.' 'Happy New Year. Happy New Year.' 5 00:00:20,390 --> 00:00:24,270 'in a radio interview at 7am.' 'This would be the greatest achievement 6 00:00:24,270 --> 00:00:27,830 if you were to manage gold at London 2012?' 7 00:00:27,830 --> 00:00:32,310 That's when I knew this would be a big year for Paralympic sport. 8 00:00:32,310 --> 00:00:35,910 'Yeah, it would be the biggest achievement in my life.' 9 00:00:35,910 --> 00:00:39,910 I wanted it to be the best Paralympics ever in Britain. 10 00:00:39,910 --> 00:00:42,190 I knew we could pull it off. 11 00:00:42,190 --> 00:00:44,590 'Having the Games in London is a dream come true.' 12 00:00:44,590 --> 00:00:48,750 I wanted Paralympians to be on an equal par with the Olympians, 13 00:00:48,750 --> 00:00:52,470 and I wanted London to be the first host city to do it. 14 00:00:52,470 --> 00:00:56,150 'I'm getting nervous talking about it now.' '(LAUGHS)' 15 00:00:56,150 --> 00:00:58,270 'Yes. I just can't wait. 16 00:00:58,270 --> 00:01:01,990 You still had your doubts, you still maybe thought, 17 00:01:01,990 --> 00:01:05,870 "Is there going to be a packed crowd?" But... 18 00:01:06,990 --> 00:01:09,790 seeing 80,000 people there 19 00:01:09,790 --> 00:01:12,190 was an amazing feeling. 20 00:01:15,950 --> 00:01:18,110 'This is the theatre of dreams 21 00:01:18,110 --> 00:01:21,150 and the stage is set for Dave Weir.' 22 00:01:21,150 --> 00:01:23,350 (WILD CHEERING) 23 00:01:25,990 --> 00:01:28,110 I remember 24 00:01:28,110 --> 00:01:30,590 the day was a long day. 25 00:01:30,990 --> 00:01:33,790 I was bouncing off the walls, ready to race. 26 00:01:33,790 --> 00:01:36,070 I just had that feeling... I wanted 27 00:01:36,070 --> 00:01:38,310 to get this first race out of the way. 28 00:01:38,310 --> 00:01:42,950 'I just remember looking at the crowd and seeing not one space. 29 00:01:45,350 --> 00:01:47,510 I felt like bursting out crying, 30 00:01:47,510 --> 00:01:49,790 just the emotions were just so high.' 31 00:01:49,790 --> 00:01:53,390 'And listen to the reception for the poster boy 32 00:01:53,390 --> 00:01:55,830 of British Paralympic athletics.' 33 00:01:55,830 --> 00:01:59,670 I knew when I got on that start line I had to win this race. 34 00:01:59,670 --> 00:02:02,310 For myself as well, but for everyone 35 00:02:02,310 --> 00:02:05,310 who supported me over the years, you know, 36 00:02:05,310 --> 00:02:07,350 and helped me. 37 00:02:08,670 --> 00:02:12,110 '80,000 people hold their breath in anticipation.' 38 00:02:12,110 --> 00:02:14,030 'On your marks...' 39 00:02:14,030 --> 00:02:16,350 (STARTING PISTOL FIRES) 40 00:02:16,350 --> 00:02:18,950 (WILD CHEERING) 41 00:02:18,950 --> 00:02:21,830 'The men's 5,000m T54 is up and running.' 42 00:02:21,830 --> 00:02:25,390 The Championship race was different, it was cautious, 43 00:02:25,390 --> 00:02:28,070 but I covered everything in training. 44 00:02:28,070 --> 00:02:30,150 'I had belief I could do it.' 45 00:02:30,150 --> 00:02:33,870 'And Dave Weir is waiting and watching. 46 00:02:33,870 --> 00:02:36,350 He's stalking, he's taking his time.' 47 00:02:36,350 --> 00:02:38,510 That roar... In stadiums, usually 48 00:02:38,510 --> 00:02:40,830 you only get a roar on the home straight. 49 00:02:40,830 --> 00:02:43,070 This was everywhere. 50 00:02:44,910 --> 00:02:48,510 (WILD CHEERING) 'The noise is absolutely incredible here.' 51 00:02:48,510 --> 00:02:51,030 'If you had your eyes closed, you wouldn't know 52 00:02:51,030 --> 00:02:53,070 where the home straight was, 53 00:02:53,070 --> 00:02:55,030 cos it was so loud.' 54 00:02:56,870 --> 00:03:00,430 It was everywhere. It was like a wave that pushed you. 55 00:03:00,430 --> 00:03:02,470 'This is the break from Marcel Hug.' 56 00:03:02,470 --> 00:03:05,310 On the last lap, they all opened up. 57 00:03:05,310 --> 00:03:09,670 I stayed on Marcel's wheel. He was the strongest I was worried about. 58 00:03:09,670 --> 00:03:12,510 'Is this your moment to deliver, Dave Weir? 59 00:03:12,510 --> 00:03:15,790 If it is, you need to maintain your composure.' 60 00:03:15,790 --> 00:03:19,430 Then I overtook him with about 100 metres to go 61 00:03:19,430 --> 00:03:22,750 'and he just died. He faded away.' 62 00:03:22,750 --> 00:03:26,630 'The whole nation is waiting, the whole nation is watching.' 63 00:03:26,630 --> 00:03:29,590 'And just... headed home.' 64 00:03:29,590 --> 00:03:32,710 'Gold is going to go to Dave Weir! 65 00:03:32,710 --> 00:03:36,310 Wonderful Weir has put himself in the hearts 66 00:03:36,310 --> 00:03:39,470 of every single person in this stadium.' 67 00:03:39,470 --> 00:03:41,110 Relief. 68 00:03:42,150 --> 00:03:44,830 'What a moment to witness.' 69 00:03:44,830 --> 00:03:48,790 Instant relief, and the noise was just... incredible. 70 00:03:49,510 --> 00:03:54,550 'We have just seen one of the greatest Paralympic performances 71 00:03:54,550 --> 00:03:57,470 by any athlete in any discipline.' 72 00:03:57,470 --> 00:04:00,750 I remember just shouting and swearing a lot... 73 00:04:00,750 --> 00:04:02,990 swearing a lot that I'd done it. 74 00:04:02,990 --> 00:04:05,990 I'd done what I wanted to do, one gold medal, 75 00:04:05,990 --> 00:04:08,070 I can relax. 76 00:04:10,150 --> 00:04:13,030 (CHEERING) 77 00:04:20,990 --> 00:04:23,350 'Sainsbury's anniversary games today. 78 00:04:23,350 --> 00:04:26,110 It's a year on from the Big Bang, really, 79 00:04:26,110 --> 00:04:28,710 what happened last year. Bit nervous, 80 00:04:28,710 --> 00:04:31,190 because there's 65,000 people there, 81 00:04:31,190 --> 00:04:33,150 but it feels like home, yeah.' 82 00:04:34,270 --> 00:04:36,350 It feels like I belong there. 83 00:04:39,710 --> 00:04:43,030 'I was a very shy kid, didn't talk much.' 84 00:04:43,030 --> 00:04:46,070 But yeah, I think I was a little bit of a rogue, 85 00:04:46,070 --> 00:04:48,710 being brought up on a council estate. 86 00:04:48,710 --> 00:04:52,590 'It made me the person I am. I still have the same friends. 87 00:04:52,590 --> 00:04:56,630 They didn't even see the chair. I loved every minute of it.' 88 00:04:56,630 --> 00:04:59,430 Do you think it was tougher for your parents 89 00:04:59,430 --> 00:05:01,830 to deal with than they let on? 90 00:05:01,830 --> 00:05:06,110 Yeah, they never let on. When I was born, no-one knew what was going on. 91 00:05:06,110 --> 00:05:09,830 It must've been hard. I've never spoken about it to them, 92 00:05:09,830 --> 00:05:13,630 to tell you the truth. I've never asked them how they felt. 93 00:05:13,630 --> 00:05:15,750 Maybe because I don't want to know. 94 00:05:18,590 --> 00:05:20,710 He wasn't moving his legs. 95 00:05:24,470 --> 00:05:28,310 'At first we thought, because he had plaster of Paris on his legs 96 00:05:28,310 --> 00:05:32,270 to straighten his feet, I thought it was the weight but it wasn't.' 97 00:05:32,270 --> 00:05:34,790 I was devastated, cos I knew straightaway. 98 00:05:34,790 --> 00:05:37,630 As soon as I saw he, realised, 99 00:05:37,630 --> 00:05:40,750 I took him straight back up the hospital. 100 00:05:46,470 --> 00:05:49,990 It's the spinal cord transection is how they put it. 101 00:05:49,990 --> 00:05:53,710 'The base of the spine nerves. One is working, one isn't. 102 00:05:53,710 --> 00:05:56,470 To sort of accept and think 103 00:05:56,470 --> 00:06:00,150 "Now, what have we got to do here?" sort of thing was hard.' 104 00:06:00,150 --> 00:06:03,350 But when you get over that, 105 00:06:03,350 --> 00:06:06,670 I just brought him up as if he was normal. 106 00:06:19,710 --> 00:06:21,790 'Independence was a big thing. 107 00:06:21,790 --> 00:06:24,030 I can remember Mum saying to people 108 00:06:24,030 --> 00:06:26,350 when she walked home from the hospital 109 00:06:26,350 --> 00:06:29,310 and she saw another person in a wheelchair 110 00:06:29,310 --> 00:06:33,750 where they saw their parents doing everything for them 111 00:06:33,750 --> 00:06:37,750 when they didn't need it, she said, "I won't let Dave be like that. 112 00:06:37,750 --> 00:06:41,430 I'll help him, but he's going to be like everyone else." 113 00:06:41,430 --> 00:06:45,390 The doctor wanted me to walk 114 00:06:45,390 --> 00:06:49,110 because I'd have a better life and maybe live longer, maybe. 115 00:06:49,110 --> 00:06:55,190 We had callipers built and they said I could be walking by 18 months 116 00:06:55,190 --> 00:06:57,390 on callipers, which wasn't too bad. 117 00:06:57,390 --> 00:07:00,670 'I tried to keep him on them as long as possible.' 118 00:07:00,670 --> 00:07:04,670 We tried to make him do things for himself. I won't be here forever. 119 00:07:04,670 --> 00:07:07,190 At least I know he can cope on his own. 120 00:07:07,790 --> 00:07:09,830 I don't even think I'm disabled, 121 00:07:09,830 --> 00:07:12,750 because I was brought up not to feel disabled. 122 00:07:12,750 --> 00:07:18,030 Even my parents, who never wanted adaptions, They asked me, I said no, 123 00:07:18,030 --> 00:07:22,710 in the house, because we didn't want it to look like a disabled house. 124 00:07:22,710 --> 00:07:26,710 No lower cupboards, no stair lift or lift. 125 00:07:26,710 --> 00:07:29,630 I went up and down stairs on my backside. 126 00:07:29,630 --> 00:07:31,710 That's the way I wanted it. 127 00:07:31,710 --> 00:07:35,510 I didn't see myself as disabled, just slightly different, maybe. 128 00:07:38,270 --> 00:07:41,390 'Even when I went to a disabled school, 129 00:07:41,390 --> 00:07:44,910 I'd go to kids' houses and they were able, like me,' 130 00:07:44,910 --> 00:07:48,630 and their mums and dads would do everything for them - 131 00:07:48,630 --> 00:07:53,030 dress them. They had a call button if they wanted a drink at night. 132 00:07:53,030 --> 00:07:55,510 I said, "Get up and get it yourself." 133 00:07:55,510 --> 00:07:57,590 'If you're able to do it, do it. 134 00:07:57,590 --> 00:08:00,710 That's what they instilled in me at an early age.' 135 00:08:00,710 --> 00:08:04,470 If I fell over on my sticks, it was, "You can get up yourself," 136 00:08:04,470 --> 00:08:07,990 not "Oh, are you all right?!" Mum had a few arguments 137 00:08:07,990 --> 00:08:10,310 with ladies in supermarkets. 138 00:08:10,310 --> 00:08:14,110 "You're not going to help him?" "No, he can get up himself." 139 00:08:14,110 --> 00:08:18,390 If a kid fell over, you'd say, "Are you all right? Come on, get up." 140 00:08:18,390 --> 00:08:21,710 It's no different. Is that not your attitude? 141 00:08:21,710 --> 00:08:24,310 "I will be better, I can do this." 142 00:08:24,310 --> 00:08:28,030 Yeah, because they taught me that at an early age. 143 00:08:28,030 --> 00:08:30,510 "This won't stop you, nothing will stop you, 144 00:08:30,510 --> 00:08:32,550 you'll have a normal life." 145 00:08:32,550 --> 00:08:35,350 In sport, it was the same thing. 146 00:08:37,990 --> 00:08:39,950 (CHEERING) 147 00:08:42,750 --> 00:08:47,310 'I love sport, cos my brothers were into boxing at an early age 148 00:08:47,310 --> 00:08:51,670 and I used to go and see them fight at York Hall, you know, 149 00:08:51,670 --> 00:08:55,390 as a four-year-old. My brother Alan's still got videos of me.' 150 00:08:55,390 --> 00:08:59,030 All you can hear is a four-year-old shouting, squeaky voice, 151 00:08:59,030 --> 00:09:01,470 a blond-haired, blue-eyed boy in the crowd. 152 00:09:03,070 --> 00:09:06,910 'Sport was in me from that day on.' 153 00:09:06,910 --> 00:09:08,990 I wanted to play basketball. 154 00:09:08,990 --> 00:09:12,830 They tried to find out where the nearest clubs were. 155 00:09:12,830 --> 00:09:17,030 All in north London, or too far away, you know. 156 00:09:17,030 --> 00:09:20,310 They had full-time jobs and trying to get over there. 157 00:09:20,310 --> 00:09:24,230 'I'd have got home really late then getting up for school and stuff...' 158 00:09:24,230 --> 00:09:26,550 (CHEERING) 159 00:09:27,310 --> 00:09:29,390 (WHISTLING) 160 00:09:29,390 --> 00:09:33,630 'I remember being in the physio room and there were posters on the wall 161 00:09:33,630 --> 00:09:36,110 asking about the mini marathon.' 162 00:09:36,110 --> 00:09:39,350 A poster saying come and try the trials. 163 00:09:39,350 --> 00:09:42,790 I noticed it and said, "Can I do that?" 164 00:09:42,790 --> 00:09:45,390 And, um, they said yeah 165 00:09:45,390 --> 00:09:47,990 and then I realised it was for age 12 166 00:09:47,990 --> 00:09:49,950 and I was eight 167 00:09:50,070 --> 00:09:51,990 so I, um, 168 00:09:51,990 --> 00:09:54,110 lied about my age. 169 00:09:54,110 --> 00:09:57,750 'I remember training up and down the back of my house, 170 00:09:57,750 --> 00:10:02,310 going up and down, up and down, in a normal NHS day chair, 171 00:10:02,310 --> 00:10:05,030 and just raced down the road.' 172 00:10:05,030 --> 00:10:08,110 I just remember going straight down the road. 173 00:10:08,110 --> 00:10:11,590 Didn't come anywhere but that was it, that was the bug then. 174 00:10:14,670 --> 00:10:18,990 'It was supposed to be the best thing in my life, the Paralympics,' 175 00:10:18,990 --> 00:10:21,470 and it was rubbish. 176 00:10:25,500 --> 00:10:27,140 (CHEERING) 177 00:10:34,660 --> 00:10:36,620 (WHISTLING) 178 00:10:38,500 --> 00:10:42,740 I was probably about 12 when I made that decision to go in a chair. 179 00:10:43,420 --> 00:10:47,300 'I always jumped in a chair when I was doing sport 180 00:10:47,300 --> 00:10:50,980 and I used to bring the chair home for the summer holidays. 181 00:10:50,980 --> 00:10:54,740 It got to a point where it was quite hard to walk around.' 182 00:10:54,740 --> 00:10:58,980 It wasn't doing any good to my back or my... or my body, 183 00:10:58,980 --> 00:11:02,180 because when I was landing I was twisting, 184 00:11:02,180 --> 00:11:05,540 so my body's slightly twisted because of that. 185 00:11:05,540 --> 00:11:07,500 (CHEERING) 186 00:11:14,580 --> 00:11:16,780 They wanted me to have more operations 187 00:11:16,780 --> 00:11:20,500 on my feet to straighten them for the callipers 188 00:11:20,500 --> 00:11:24,460 and I said to Mum, "I don't need to have these any more." 189 00:11:24,460 --> 00:11:26,740 (CHEERING) 190 00:11:26,740 --> 00:11:29,900 '"I'm never going to walk, so I don't see any point 191 00:11:29,900 --> 00:11:32,460 trying to straighten my legs or feet."' 192 00:11:32,460 --> 00:11:36,620 I was at that age when I could make that decision and Mum agreed. 193 00:11:36,620 --> 00:11:38,580 (CHEERING AND WHISTLING) 194 00:11:39,900 --> 00:11:43,220 'I remember going to Stoke Mandeville for the Junior Games. 195 00:11:43,220 --> 00:11:47,660 Racing was the main thing, but they let me do basketball as well.' 196 00:11:47,660 --> 00:11:50,020 We got to the final, but I was 197 00:11:50,020 --> 00:11:52,340 racing in the afternoon on the track. 198 00:11:52,340 --> 00:11:55,180 I got a buzz I never got in basketball. 199 00:11:55,180 --> 00:11:58,780 That was when I drew the line on the basketball. 200 00:11:58,780 --> 00:12:00,900 What was that buzz there? Winning. 201 00:12:07,460 --> 00:12:10,580 I just had that confidence around me, you know. 202 00:12:10,580 --> 00:12:13,180 'I thought, "Let's race and enjoy it. 203 00:12:13,180 --> 00:12:15,620 I've achieved what I wanted to achieve."' 204 00:12:15,620 --> 00:12:19,260 'It's always difficult to beat Dave. He's a triple threat - 205 00:12:19,260 --> 00:12:23,060 he's got good acceleration, great speed and fire in his belly.' 206 00:12:23,060 --> 00:12:27,260 I got on that warm-up track. I was pushing 2mph quicker 207 00:12:27,260 --> 00:12:30,660 'speed-wise, because I felt relaxed. I'd done it. 208 00:12:30,660 --> 00:12:33,300 I knew the other guys were under pressure.' 209 00:12:33,300 --> 00:12:37,100 'They will take the bell this time. Cassidy hits the front. 210 00:12:37,100 --> 00:12:41,820 Weir's with him.' 'I saw Marcel was two or three people back.' 211 00:12:41,820 --> 00:12:44,420 I couldn't even see Kurt. Go. 212 00:12:44,420 --> 00:12:47,940 (WILD CHEERING) 'Weir is away. Weir strikes for home.' 213 00:12:47,940 --> 00:12:51,500 I knew I'd be able to hold this for a whole lap. 214 00:12:51,500 --> 00:12:53,460 I just went. 215 00:12:53,460 --> 00:12:56,060 (WILD CHEERING) 'Weir now strikes for home! 216 00:12:56,060 --> 00:12:58,660 Into the straight, the crowd rises to him.' 217 00:12:58,660 --> 00:13:02,220 In the 5,000, you said you were waiting for the wheel. 218 00:13:02,220 --> 00:13:04,620 In the 1500? No. I knew. 219 00:13:05,020 --> 00:13:06,780 Yeah. 220 00:13:06,780 --> 00:13:10,500 'Has he got the speed to hold off Konjen of Thailand? 221 00:13:10,500 --> 00:13:13,780 It looks as though he has. And Weir takes gold!' 222 00:13:13,780 --> 00:13:15,740 (WILD CHEERING) 223 00:13:19,340 --> 00:13:22,780 'My friends were on the corner. I went up to them' 224 00:13:22,780 --> 00:13:26,180 and gave them a big cuddle over the barriers. 225 00:13:26,180 --> 00:13:28,380 They were coming over the barriers. 226 00:13:28,380 --> 00:13:31,460 They said, "Go and get number three." 227 00:13:42,500 --> 00:13:46,980 'The last few years in school were tough. I didn't want to be there.' 228 00:13:46,980 --> 00:13:51,060 Because I didn't feel like I was like anyone else, you know. 229 00:13:51,060 --> 00:13:53,020 I didn't feel like them. 230 00:13:53,620 --> 00:13:56,660 I know he wanted to go to the normal school 231 00:13:56,660 --> 00:13:59,980 but the standard of education there was high. 232 00:13:59,980 --> 00:14:02,220 I thought that'd be better for him. 233 00:14:02,220 --> 00:14:06,300 'I don't think he'd have got that first chair at the normal school.' 234 00:14:06,300 --> 00:14:10,420 'The school was great. They're the ones that got me in to the sport.' 235 00:14:10,420 --> 00:14:12,980 I was very shy there. I was a very shy kid 236 00:14:12,980 --> 00:14:16,860 and didn't talk much, but I, um, 237 00:14:17,780 --> 00:14:19,500 just raced. 238 00:14:21,620 --> 00:14:24,460 'Was it natural talent or was it hard work?' 239 00:14:24,460 --> 00:14:26,100 'Natural. 240 00:14:26,900 --> 00:14:31,100 I raced in Ireland for my first international' 241 00:14:31,100 --> 00:14:33,260 against men at the age of 13 242 00:14:33,260 --> 00:14:37,260 and I was winning, you know? I was beating international racers, 243 00:14:37,260 --> 00:14:39,340 so I knew I had a talent. 244 00:14:39,340 --> 00:14:42,100 I'd developed a technique very quickly. 245 00:14:42,100 --> 00:14:45,900 It didn't take me long. I only trained twice a week. 246 00:14:48,180 --> 00:14:50,460 They were training every day. 247 00:14:50,460 --> 00:14:53,660 I only trained twice a week until I had Atlanta. 248 00:14:53,660 --> 00:14:55,620 Maybe three times a week. 249 00:14:56,740 --> 00:15:01,020 What do you put that down to, then? Natural strength, natural aptitude? 250 00:15:01,020 --> 00:15:04,060 Mind. Yeah. Desire to win. 251 00:15:11,300 --> 00:15:14,100 Atlanta as a 17-year-old. You know, young. 252 00:15:14,100 --> 00:15:17,860 Certain people probably didn't want me there cos I was too young, 253 00:15:17,860 --> 00:15:20,060 so I had to prove a point. 254 00:15:20,060 --> 00:15:22,100 'So I made the final in the 100m.' 255 00:15:22,100 --> 00:15:24,180 (STARTING PISTOL FIRES) 256 00:15:24,180 --> 00:15:27,700 'I didn't do that bad, coming seventh. 257 00:15:27,700 --> 00:15:29,860 It was a good achievement.' 258 00:15:32,980 --> 00:15:35,700 'What happened to you then 259 00:15:35,700 --> 00:15:37,980 in terms of your love for the sport?' 260 00:15:37,980 --> 00:15:40,460 'Unofficially, our winner was David Holding.' 261 00:15:40,460 --> 00:15:43,940 'I just fell out of love with it.' 262 00:15:46,220 --> 00:15:51,220 It was supposed to be the best thing in my life, you know, 263 00:15:51,220 --> 00:15:54,060 at that time, going to a Paralympics 264 00:15:54,060 --> 00:15:56,020 and it was rubbish. 265 00:15:56,900 --> 00:16:01,260 We were expecting big crowds and we could count the people in the stand. 266 00:16:01,260 --> 00:16:06,020 'Most of them were team members or other countries that were there. 267 00:16:06,020 --> 00:16:08,220 It was the worst feeling ever.' 268 00:16:09,140 --> 00:16:13,140 I just thought, "Is there any success in Paralympic sport? 269 00:16:13,140 --> 00:16:15,100 Will it ever be good? 270 00:16:15,820 --> 00:16:18,660 I don't think so." That's the way I felt 271 00:16:18,660 --> 00:16:23,300 and I thought, "Let's have a break for a while." 272 00:16:23,300 --> 00:16:25,260 (CHEERING) 273 00:16:38,620 --> 00:16:42,620 What did your parents say when you told them you're walking away? 274 00:16:42,620 --> 00:16:45,380 They didn't like it. They didn't like it. 275 00:16:47,940 --> 00:16:51,420 (STARTING PISTOL FIRES, WILD CHEERING) 276 00:16:53,780 --> 00:16:57,380 'I was upset. I thought, "Oh, God, he's so good."' 277 00:16:57,380 --> 00:17:01,420 But what can you do? If they don't want to do it, you can't make them. 278 00:17:01,420 --> 00:17:05,420 I've never made them do anything like this. We had to accept it. 279 00:17:05,420 --> 00:17:08,140 I wanted to lead a normal life for a while, 280 00:17:08,140 --> 00:17:11,420 not worry about training, racing and... 281 00:17:11,420 --> 00:17:14,260 Friends were going to the pubs. 282 00:17:14,260 --> 00:17:17,220 I was at that age I was legal to go out 283 00:17:17,220 --> 00:17:19,180 and that's what I did. 284 00:17:23,980 --> 00:17:25,940 (APPLAUSE) 285 00:17:28,380 --> 00:17:30,460 (CHEERING) 286 00:17:30,460 --> 00:17:33,580 'My friends said, "You're throwing it away." 287 00:17:33,580 --> 00:17:36,100 I said, "Paralympics will never be big."' 288 00:17:37,780 --> 00:17:39,740 Did you really believe that? Yeah. 289 00:17:40,740 --> 00:17:44,540 If I felt it'd be big, I wouldn't have had that time out, 290 00:17:44,540 --> 00:17:47,900 and that's when it changed, when it went to Sydney. 291 00:17:47,900 --> 00:17:49,940 'Tanni Grey-Thompson.' 292 00:17:49,940 --> 00:17:52,500 'Seeing Tanni winning her medal,' 293 00:17:52,500 --> 00:17:56,020 then talking about it as the best Paralympics ever 294 00:17:57,540 --> 00:18:01,260 and that was only four years after what I thought was a disaster. 295 00:18:01,260 --> 00:18:04,300 'The gold medallist, representing Great Britain - 296 00:18:04,300 --> 00:18:06,420 Tanni Grey-Thompson.' 297 00:18:06,420 --> 00:18:08,780 Well, I just couldn't stop crying. 298 00:18:08,780 --> 00:18:11,340 'I thought I'd let a lot of people down - 299 00:18:11,980 --> 00:18:14,860 'my family, my country.' 300 00:18:16,460 --> 00:18:19,860 I said to myself and everyone around me 301 00:18:19,860 --> 00:18:23,300 that I will never ever let anyone down 302 00:18:23,300 --> 00:18:27,380 or, um, never get in that situation again. 303 00:18:29,220 --> 00:18:32,660 I'd turn up and she'd say, "Right, you've got 50 laps." 304 00:18:32,660 --> 00:18:36,780 I said, "What? That's like 12 miles on the track." 305 00:18:36,780 --> 00:18:38,740 'She went, "Yeah."' 306 00:18:45,140 --> 00:18:47,100 (CHEERING) 307 00:18:48,060 --> 00:18:50,220 (WHISTLING) 308 00:18:57,980 --> 00:19:02,100 'What were your brothers like in terms of an influence on you? 309 00:19:02,100 --> 00:19:05,660 Were they protective?' 'No, never.' 310 00:19:05,660 --> 00:19:10,700 They always said to me, "You have to fight your own battles." 311 00:19:10,700 --> 00:19:15,140 If someone is nasty, and you know what kids are like, 312 00:19:15,140 --> 00:19:18,660 calling me names and stuff... The word I hate is 'cripple'. 313 00:19:18,660 --> 00:19:23,100 I don't think it should be a word. It really gets on my nerves. 314 00:19:23,580 --> 00:19:26,620 I used to get really angry when people used to... 315 00:19:26,620 --> 00:19:28,980 I used to retaliate, you know. 316 00:19:28,980 --> 00:19:33,340 Yeah. How did you deal with that as a, you know, young kid? 317 00:19:33,340 --> 00:19:35,140 Fighting. 318 00:19:35,140 --> 00:19:36,860 Yeah? 319 00:19:36,860 --> 00:19:38,980 Probably get beaten up, but... 320 00:19:39,820 --> 00:19:41,740 that's what I did. 321 00:19:44,060 --> 00:19:46,340 'To get on the track 322 00:19:46,340 --> 00:19:49,540 and to be the best at what you did' 323 00:19:49,540 --> 00:19:51,580 was a kind of a retort, wasn't it? 324 00:19:51,580 --> 00:19:54,260 Yeah. Just a release, maybe. 325 00:19:54,940 --> 00:19:56,580 Freedom. 326 00:19:58,660 --> 00:20:02,380 'I couldn't play football, I couldn't ride a bike, 327 00:20:02,380 --> 00:20:05,500 I couldn't run. This gave me the opportunity 328 00:20:05,500 --> 00:20:07,940 to be the best in something.' 329 00:20:13,940 --> 00:20:15,900 (WILD CHEERING) 330 00:20:22,660 --> 00:20:26,580 'Was the 100m more special for you because your dad was there?' 331 00:20:26,580 --> 00:20:29,060 'Yeah. I don't see him that often, 332 00:20:29,060 --> 00:20:32,860 so it was nice for him to come over from Northern Ireland' 333 00:20:32,860 --> 00:20:36,420 and be part of something special in my life. 334 00:20:36,420 --> 00:20:40,860 (CROWD ROARS) 'Here he is. What a roar. 335 00:20:40,860 --> 00:20:45,300 The decibels for Mo Farah were clocked at 111 336 00:20:45,300 --> 00:20:49,020 when he took his second gold. For Weir it was 110.' 337 00:20:51,980 --> 00:20:55,980 'Now, by this point the whole Weirwolf thing is kicking off.' 338 00:20:55,980 --> 00:20:58,180 What was your reaction to that? 339 00:20:58,180 --> 00:21:00,420 Yeah, it's just fun, isn't it? 340 00:21:00,420 --> 00:21:02,500 I felt proud. 341 00:21:02,500 --> 00:21:04,700 I felt proud to be British and... 342 00:21:05,260 --> 00:21:10,020 'it was my track, my environment, no-one was going to beat me.' 343 00:21:10,020 --> 00:21:14,420 'The Weirwolf is here and he's hungry for a third gold medal. 344 00:21:14,420 --> 00:21:16,500 The noise is already deafening. 345 00:21:16,500 --> 00:21:19,940 The flashlights are going off all around the stadium.' 346 00:21:19,940 --> 00:21:22,220 'I was thankful it was only two laps. 347 00:21:22,220 --> 00:21:24,980 I just knew I had the Paralympic champ 348 00:21:24,980 --> 00:21:27,700 for the 400m in the outside lane. 349 00:21:27,700 --> 00:21:31,300 Marcel on the inside. I had to match one of their speeds. 350 00:21:31,300 --> 00:21:35,060 One of them would go off quick. Zhang went off quick.' 351 00:21:35,060 --> 00:21:37,380 I just sat on his wheel then. 352 00:21:37,380 --> 00:21:39,620 (WILD CHEERING) 'We're coming up the bell now. 353 00:21:39,620 --> 00:21:43,420 in the men's 800m. Zhang is leading, Weir is second. 354 00:21:43,420 --> 00:21:45,820 The Korean Kim is trying to come on the outside. 355 00:21:45,820 --> 00:21:47,820 Weir mustn't get boxed.' 356 00:21:48,420 --> 00:21:50,820 'I remember battling with Zhang' 357 00:21:50,820 --> 00:21:54,860 and he was the fastest one out of all the racers. 358 00:21:54,860 --> 00:21:57,980 'Zhang on the inside. Dave Weir's going wide.' 359 00:21:57,980 --> 00:22:01,980 And I was praying he wouldn't go any quicker on that home straight, 360 00:22:01,980 --> 00:22:04,620 and he just died and I was getting quicker. 361 00:22:04,620 --> 00:22:06,700 'Weir has to draw on all his reserves 362 00:22:06,700 --> 00:22:08,780 of confidence and strength here 363 00:22:08,780 --> 00:22:11,300 because this is so, so close.' 364 00:22:11,300 --> 00:22:16,820 I just trained myself to be so demanding in that last 150 metres. 365 00:22:16,820 --> 00:22:19,860 (WILD CHEERING) 'Dave Weir takes the lead. 366 00:22:19,860 --> 00:22:22,060 Hug strikes on the outside. 367 00:22:22,060 --> 00:22:24,140 But Dave Weir's done it again! 368 00:22:24,140 --> 00:22:27,700 We have been graced by greatness tonight 369 00:22:27,700 --> 00:22:31,020 and it has come in the form of David Weir.' 370 00:22:31,380 --> 00:22:33,340 It was special. 371 00:22:33,340 --> 00:22:38,220 'Nobody in this stadium will ever, ever forget that they were here.' 372 00:22:38,220 --> 00:22:40,700 'I spotted him in the crowd and went over to him 373 00:22:40,700 --> 00:22:45,140 and there was a gap, so I couldn't really get to him.' 374 00:22:45,140 --> 00:22:47,140 'What was his reaction?' 375 00:22:48,860 --> 00:22:50,900 He was crying. 376 00:22:50,900 --> 00:22:53,020 I've never seen him cry before. 377 00:22:54,460 --> 00:22:57,100 Do you think it was pride? 378 00:22:57,100 --> 00:22:58,740 Yeah. 379 00:22:59,340 --> 00:23:01,060 Yeah. 380 00:23:01,060 --> 00:23:03,180 I still get phone calls now - 381 00:23:03,180 --> 00:23:05,780 "Are you training?" "Yes, I am training, Dad." 382 00:23:11,340 --> 00:23:14,180 He's got up to 19. Yeah? 383 00:23:15,460 --> 00:23:18,060 Good. He's feeling the pressure. Is he? 384 00:23:18,060 --> 00:23:21,260 Is she making him go faster? Yeah. 385 00:23:21,260 --> 00:23:23,500 I met Dave when he was eight. 386 00:23:23,500 --> 00:23:27,340 We were looking for a young athlete for the London Youth Games. 387 00:23:27,340 --> 00:23:29,860 I came across this blond-haired boy, blue eyes, 388 00:23:29,860 --> 00:23:33,820 looking quite "Yeah, I'm up for this. I really want this." 389 00:23:33,820 --> 00:23:37,660 We got him into the wheelchair and I could see he had this fight. 390 00:23:37,660 --> 00:23:39,740 She wasn't with us long. 391 00:23:39,740 --> 00:23:44,620 She set up a group and started to work with Wimbledon Football Club. 392 00:23:44,620 --> 00:23:47,140 When it rings just slide it across. 393 00:23:47,140 --> 00:23:50,740 'But when I went back in 2002, 394 00:23:50,740 --> 00:23:55,020 I needed that extra push and I realised she was coaching 395 00:23:55,020 --> 00:23:57,660 at Kingston again wheelchair athletes. 396 00:23:57,660 --> 00:24:01,220 I knew her number off by heart, I rang her and said,' 397 00:24:01,220 --> 00:24:03,180 "Look, I need some help." 398 00:24:04,340 --> 00:24:06,420 Can I come and see you?" 399 00:24:06,420 --> 00:24:09,220 He was quite humble, really. He came back and said, 400 00:24:09,220 --> 00:24:13,580 "This is what I've done. I miss the sport, I want to get back into it. 401 00:24:13,580 --> 00:24:15,620 Will you help me?" 402 00:24:15,620 --> 00:24:19,660 'And I said yeah. That's when we sat down, went through one or two things 403 00:24:19,660 --> 00:24:23,460 and I said, "You'll have to train on your own, climb hills. 404 00:24:23,460 --> 00:24:25,700 Rain or snow, you'll have to train."' 405 00:24:25,700 --> 00:24:29,580 I remember the first month was like hell. It really hurt. 406 00:24:29,580 --> 00:24:33,820 I'd turn up and she'd say, "Right, you've got 50 laps." 407 00:24:33,820 --> 00:24:36,860 I said, "What?" She said, "50 laps of the track." 408 00:24:36,860 --> 00:24:39,740 I said, "What, that's like 409 00:24:39,740 --> 00:24:42,940 12 miles on the track." And she went, "Yeah." 410 00:24:42,940 --> 00:24:46,940 How are you feeling? Are them tyres all right? 411 00:24:46,940 --> 00:24:50,900 'He'd never trained on his own so I needed to get him focused.' 412 00:24:50,900 --> 00:24:53,260 He was more focused with other people, 413 00:24:53,260 --> 00:24:55,460 he'd wander round, see what was going on 414 00:24:55,460 --> 00:24:57,660 and work with others, and they'd say, 415 00:24:57,660 --> 00:24:59,820 "Slow down, you're too quick for us." 416 00:24:59,820 --> 00:25:02,860 'I said, "That's not the right attitude. 417 00:25:02,860 --> 00:25:07,020 If you want to be world number one, you've got to change everything." 418 00:25:07,020 --> 00:25:10,580 The talent was there, we just needed to kick-start him.' 419 00:25:13,420 --> 00:25:15,500 (CHEERING AND APPLAUSE) 420 00:25:15,500 --> 00:25:18,420 'I won the London Marathon two months after 421 00:25:18,420 --> 00:25:23,580 so then I knew this was it, this was the best plan for me.' 422 00:25:23,580 --> 00:25:26,780 'She kept me focused on just believing in myself.' 423 00:25:28,580 --> 00:25:31,860 'It was around that time your daughter was born. 424 00:25:31,860 --> 00:25:34,180 How did that change you, do you think?' 425 00:25:34,180 --> 00:25:36,260 'A big responsibility, you know. 426 00:25:36,260 --> 00:25:39,140 It drove me on more to provide for the family.' 427 00:25:39,140 --> 00:25:42,980 There were performance targets each year you had to fulfil 428 00:25:42,980 --> 00:25:45,820 to keep your funding. It was tough. 429 00:25:47,260 --> 00:25:49,940 'As long as they had food on the table, 430 00:25:49,940 --> 00:25:52,020 it didn't really matter about me.' 431 00:25:52,020 --> 00:25:56,060 Did the idea cross your mind that there were better ways to earn money, 432 00:25:56,060 --> 00:25:58,340 easier ways? I didn't have other ways. 433 00:25:58,340 --> 00:26:00,460 I didn't have any qualifications. 434 00:26:04,500 --> 00:26:07,820 I didn't study in anything else but racing, 435 00:26:07,820 --> 00:26:11,700 so I knew if I kept at it maybe I can 436 00:26:13,620 --> 00:26:16,540 earn a living out of it. You never know. 437 00:26:16,540 --> 00:26:18,500 (WILD CHEERING) 438 00:26:22,740 --> 00:26:28,020 'It was just that proud moment of being picked for my country again. 439 00:26:28,020 --> 00:26:31,820 I remember in the first heat of the 200, I'd looked at my shirt.' 440 00:26:31,820 --> 00:26:35,540 My heart was pumping so hard, my vest was coming out here. 441 00:26:35,540 --> 00:26:38,220 I was so nervous, you know? 442 00:26:38,220 --> 00:26:42,420 And then when you come off the track and you're, like, third fastest, 443 00:26:42,420 --> 00:26:46,260 out of all the heats, you think, "I might be able to medal here." 444 00:26:47,700 --> 00:26:49,940 Don't get too confident. 445 00:26:52,220 --> 00:26:54,660 'Then getting a bronze medal, that was it.' 446 00:26:54,660 --> 00:26:56,940 Just changed my way of thinking. 447 00:26:58,700 --> 00:27:02,060 It was tough, because my best event was the 400. 448 00:27:02,060 --> 00:27:05,580 I thought it was my best event, and I didn't make the final. 449 00:27:05,580 --> 00:27:07,700 I didn't even make the second round. 450 00:27:07,700 --> 00:27:10,460 Because I was so excited about my medal, 451 00:27:10,460 --> 00:27:13,180 I didn't sleep the night before. 452 00:27:13,180 --> 00:27:17,380 (CHEERING) 'So I had to get ready for my worst event, the 100m, 453 00:27:17,380 --> 00:27:20,420 and I got my best medal out of it, which is silver.' 454 00:27:20,420 --> 00:27:22,380 (CHEERING) 455 00:27:25,860 --> 00:27:28,860 'We got through Athens. He enjoyed that,' 456 00:27:28,860 --> 00:27:31,500 then when we came back I said, 457 00:27:31,500 --> 00:27:34,340 "We need to find out what you really want." 458 00:27:34,340 --> 00:27:37,340 He said, "I know what I want - to win more races, 459 00:27:37,340 --> 00:27:41,180 I want more gold medals. I want to be number one in the world. 460 00:27:41,180 --> 00:27:44,740 I want world records." I said, "OK, I'll take you there." 461 00:27:44,740 --> 00:27:46,940 I went home and thought, "Oh, my God! 462 00:27:46,940 --> 00:27:49,220 What have I said? I can't let him down." 463 00:27:49,220 --> 00:27:51,340 So I've been there ever since. 464 00:27:55,660 --> 00:27:57,740 'There is still loads to do. 465 00:27:57,740 --> 00:28:00,980 I knew my best distances were eight, 15. 466 00:28:00,980 --> 00:28:03,900 I didn't want to sprint any more. 467 00:28:05,460 --> 00:28:08,460 Officially, I was still funded as a sprinter 468 00:28:08,460 --> 00:28:11,500 so I had to still sprint in races, 469 00:28:12,940 --> 00:28:15,260 and I remember going to Switzerland 470 00:28:15,260 --> 00:28:18,980 and I was doing a two and a four 471 00:28:18,980 --> 00:28:21,020 and the 15. 472 00:28:21,020 --> 00:28:24,740 I'd been pushing really well in training for the 400 473 00:28:24,740 --> 00:28:28,220 and I remember the conditions in Switzerland were perfect.' 474 00:28:29,020 --> 00:28:32,260 I went under 47 seconds. First man to do it. 475 00:28:33,260 --> 00:28:35,100 World record. 476 00:28:35,780 --> 00:28:37,740 Best buzz ever. 477 00:28:40,140 --> 00:28:42,260 'I felt like a complete athlete.' 478 00:28:45,100 --> 00:28:47,540 Gold medals and world records was the aim. 479 00:28:47,540 --> 00:28:50,340 'And then I rang Jenny and said,' 480 00:28:50,980 --> 00:28:54,660 "I just broke the world record." 481 00:28:54,660 --> 00:28:58,740 She didn't get that excited, cos she knew I was racing ten minutes later, 482 00:28:58,740 --> 00:29:02,060 so didn't want me too excited. I was like, "Yes!" 483 00:29:02,060 --> 00:29:04,180 I knew he had another race to do. 484 00:29:04,180 --> 00:29:08,420 I said, "Brilliant. When's the other race?" "In about ten minutes." 485 00:29:08,420 --> 00:29:12,580 I said, "OK, forget about that world record." Go get another one. 486 00:29:12,580 --> 00:29:14,980 Yeah. "Concentrate on the next one." 487 00:29:14,980 --> 00:29:18,700 'I'd not done that many 200s since the year before.' 488 00:29:18,700 --> 00:29:21,900 I knocked half a second off the world record. 489 00:29:21,900 --> 00:29:24,820 I was the first man to go under 25 seconds. 490 00:29:25,220 --> 00:29:29,340 He came on the phone and said, "I've just broken another world record." 491 00:29:29,340 --> 00:29:33,660 I said, "Fantastic. Go out and have a beer tonight." 492 00:29:33,660 --> 00:29:36,620 That's all I could say. At home, I was like, "Yes!" 493 00:29:37,860 --> 00:29:39,860 Crawling up the wall. 494 00:29:48,100 --> 00:29:52,340 I think it was the night of the opening ceremony I felt a bit rough. 495 00:29:52,340 --> 00:29:56,380 I tried to forget about it. You know your mind plays tricks with you. 496 00:29:56,380 --> 00:29:58,460 'Then the next day I was... 497 00:29:59,300 --> 00:30:01,220 I couldn't move. 498 00:30:01,220 --> 00:30:03,900 Then we had the first final of the 5K.' 499 00:30:03,900 --> 00:30:06,740 They just thought I had a cold and that. 500 00:30:06,740 --> 00:30:10,060 'I got a bronze, which was all right 501 00:30:10,980 --> 00:30:13,820 I said to the doc, "I feel really bad," 502 00:30:13,820 --> 00:30:16,180 so we had a blood test 503 00:30:16,180 --> 00:30:19,340 and they said I had glandular fever.' 504 00:30:19,340 --> 00:30:23,900 He said, "I don't know how you got out of bed, let alone race tonight." 505 00:30:24,780 --> 00:30:29,900 I just had to race feeling like crap every day. 506 00:30:31,020 --> 00:30:34,500 'Given the way you were feeling, the condition you were in,' 507 00:30:34,500 --> 00:30:36,660 what got you through it? 508 00:30:36,660 --> 00:30:40,060 Just a desire to get my first Paralympic gold. 509 00:30:40,060 --> 00:30:42,740 (CHEERING) 'So that's what I did. 510 00:30:42,740 --> 00:30:44,700 Pushed for home and I won.' 511 00:30:45,580 --> 00:30:50,220 (CHEERING) Winning the 800, it felt great. 512 00:30:50,220 --> 00:30:54,660 'I felt a responsibility to at least win one gold medal for the team.' 513 00:30:54,660 --> 00:30:57,580 (CHEERING) 'Then I won the 15.' 514 00:30:57,580 --> 00:31:01,500 Even though the way I was feeling I shouldn't even have medalled. 515 00:31:01,500 --> 00:31:04,820 'It was an amazing feeling.' (CHEERING) 516 00:31:14,180 --> 00:31:17,500 There's my training partner. He screams at me. 517 00:31:20,100 --> 00:31:22,180 Yesterday, he was screaming at me. 518 00:31:22,180 --> 00:31:24,380 'What was the build-up like to 2012?' 519 00:31:24,380 --> 00:31:28,300 There was a lot of pressure on you. I didn't feel no pressure. 520 00:31:28,300 --> 00:31:32,020 'In the 12 weeks before that, I had to get cyclists in. 521 00:31:32,020 --> 00:31:34,660 I needed that extra edge out of Dave.' 522 00:31:34,660 --> 00:31:38,460 Slow your speed down to about 16. 17... Yeah, 16, 17. 523 00:31:38,460 --> 00:31:42,540 Then start free wheeling. Do you want it really fast to start? 524 00:31:42,540 --> 00:31:46,740 No, no. Like yesterday. About 23s, 24s, yeah? Yeah. 525 00:31:47,260 --> 00:31:51,260 I had cyclists previously, but I only used them on the odd occasion. 526 00:31:51,260 --> 00:31:55,340 I said to Jen, "I think I need someone every day to push me, 527 00:31:55,340 --> 00:31:57,380 to get that 20, 30% out of me more. 528 00:31:57,380 --> 00:31:59,740 All right? Yeah. OK. 529 00:31:59,740 --> 00:32:02,380 No swearing. I've got a mike on. 530 00:32:02,380 --> 00:32:04,180 Oh, OK. 531 00:32:04,180 --> 00:32:06,940 I had to get him through two 800s, 532 00:32:06,940 --> 00:32:09,780 two 1500s, two 5,000s and a marathon. 533 00:32:09,780 --> 00:32:13,540 'I wanted to build an inner strength within an inner strength 534 00:32:13,540 --> 00:32:16,220 that would get him through that last phase.' 535 00:32:16,220 --> 00:32:20,260 I wanted to win the marathon to prove I can win it and track races. 536 00:32:20,260 --> 00:32:22,580 I'd not done that yet. 537 00:32:22,580 --> 00:32:26,660 'We were asked to do a team tally for all the British athletes. 538 00:32:26,660 --> 00:32:28,780 The head coach came over and said, 539 00:32:28,780 --> 00:32:32,500 "I'd like to introduce you to the British Paralympic Committee. 540 00:32:32,500 --> 00:32:35,380 This is Jenny Archer, Dave Weir's coach. 541 00:32:35,380 --> 00:32:37,820 We're expecting four golds out of David." 542 00:32:37,820 --> 00:32:40,980 I thought, "If that's what you want, you'll get it." 543 00:32:40,980 --> 00:32:43,580 I said to Dave, "Fancy a challenge?" He went, "Yeah." 544 00:32:43,580 --> 00:32:46,340 'I had to put every effort in that ten days. 545 00:32:46,340 --> 00:32:49,300 It didn't matter about the other races that year. 546 00:32:49,300 --> 00:32:51,460 It was all about that ten days.' 547 00:32:52,460 --> 00:32:56,540 It was going to be my last Games, so I had to go out with a bang. 548 00:32:57,460 --> 00:32:59,940 The marathon - what was it like? 549 00:32:59,940 --> 00:33:01,700 Horrible. 550 00:33:01,700 --> 00:33:03,940 'I thought, "I can't do it."' 551 00:33:03,940 --> 00:33:05,900 I can't do this race. 552 00:33:13,920 --> 00:33:16,000 (CHEERING) 553 00:33:17,760 --> 00:33:20,920 'We used to play a lot of football on the estate 554 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:23,600 in places that you shouldn't play football.' 555 00:33:23,600 --> 00:33:27,080 Around the shops when they're closed, the shutters are down, 556 00:33:27,080 --> 00:33:30,320 we'd use them as a goal. There were flats above, 557 00:33:30,320 --> 00:33:32,800 so we got lots of complaints from people. 558 00:33:32,800 --> 00:33:35,240 I'd be in goal, obviously, 559 00:33:35,240 --> 00:33:38,960 and get the ball pelted at me. I was always the goalie. 560 00:33:38,960 --> 00:33:43,080 I hated being in goal. You always want to be a striker, don't you? 561 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,200 But that wasn't going to happen. 562 00:33:45,200 --> 00:33:47,160 (WILD CHEERING) 563 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,760 'Every kid wants to be a footballer, don't they? 564 00:33:52,760 --> 00:33:56,520 I used to have mad dreams that I would be a goalie 565 00:33:56,520 --> 00:33:59,560 but have a smaller goal in the first division.' 566 00:33:59,560 --> 00:34:01,960 That was my mad dreams, you know. 567 00:34:01,960 --> 00:34:05,720 They'd cater a goal for me because I was disabled. 568 00:34:06,000 --> 00:34:10,160 It was never going to happen, so I had to, er,... 569 00:34:10,160 --> 00:34:13,040 Racing was the one. 570 00:34:14,760 --> 00:34:16,720 'On your marks...' 571 00:34:24,520 --> 00:34:26,560 (STARTING PISTOL FIRES) 572 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:28,680 (CHEERING AND SHOUTING) 573 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:35,120 I remember sending texts the day before to people 574 00:34:35,120 --> 00:34:38,360 and they said, "You're going to get your fourth gold." 575 00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:42,360 I said, "I'm just going to race. Whatever happens, happens." 576 00:34:42,360 --> 00:34:45,520 'Well, what a day and what an opportunity 577 00:34:45,520 --> 00:34:49,600 for Dave Weir on the streets of the city he loves and knows so well.' 578 00:34:49,600 --> 00:34:51,640 What was it like? 579 00:34:51,640 --> 00:34:53,280 Horrible. 580 00:34:54,160 --> 00:34:56,440 'I felt pressure, you know. 581 00:34:56,440 --> 00:35:00,360 You know, that Weirwolf thing and everyone on the course had masks' 582 00:35:00,360 --> 00:35:02,760 and howling and shouting at me. 583 00:35:03,800 --> 00:35:07,040 I just felt like... that I have to do it now. 584 00:35:07,040 --> 00:35:10,720 I can't go away with three and maybe a silver. 585 00:35:10,720 --> 00:35:14,120 It doesn't look good, does it, around your neck? 586 00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:18,200 'Emotionally, I was drained by then. 587 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:22,400 The first three miles I thought, "I can't do it."' 588 00:35:22,400 --> 00:35:25,040 I can't do this race. 589 00:35:27,320 --> 00:35:29,760 'I had to shut off the race for a while' 590 00:35:29,760 --> 00:35:33,880 and think about all the people who helped me in training, the cyclists 591 00:35:33,880 --> 00:35:36,640 pushing me every day, telling me I can do it. 592 00:35:36,640 --> 00:35:38,800 Jenny as well and my family. 593 00:35:40,280 --> 00:35:43,520 'I remember going through the arches for the second time' 594 00:35:43,520 --> 00:35:47,760 and then we had to do a big loop. I thought I'd have to pull over. 595 00:35:47,760 --> 00:35:51,040 What stopped me was seeing all those people out. 596 00:35:51,040 --> 00:35:53,440 'And just getting through that barrier. 597 00:35:53,440 --> 00:35:57,000 I knew if I get through the barrier, I'll be all right. 598 00:35:57,000 --> 00:36:01,120 I had this little shot of beetroot juice that I had by my knees.' 599 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:04,720 It was for about 16 miles. I had to take it then. 600 00:36:04,720 --> 00:36:08,320 Just something. Maybe that'll give me more energy 601 00:36:09,440 --> 00:36:11,600 and I felt better when I took that, 602 00:36:11,600 --> 00:36:14,680 but I don't know if that was just a mental thing. 603 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:16,760 'All sorts of conversations there.' 604 00:36:16,760 --> 00:36:20,760 On the last lap, Kurt and Marcel started talking 605 00:36:20,760 --> 00:36:22,920 and it made me angry a little bit. 606 00:36:23,200 --> 00:36:26,600 'Fearnley and Hug are working together here 607 00:36:26,600 --> 00:36:29,880 to try and undermine Dave Weir's chances.' 608 00:36:29,880 --> 00:36:33,440 There was a bit on the course where we do a U-turn 609 00:36:33,440 --> 00:36:36,320 by Tower Bridge and there's a slight downhill. 610 00:36:36,320 --> 00:36:39,880 'I thought I'd really push hard when I get to that point.' 611 00:36:39,880 --> 00:36:44,040 See if I can drop you, because you really annoyed me. So I did. 612 00:36:44,040 --> 00:36:47,360 I dropped them. Climbed the hill as hard as I could, 613 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:51,720 went down the road a bit more for half a mile, they were nowhere, 614 00:36:51,720 --> 00:36:53,880 so I sat and waited and rested, 615 00:36:53,880 --> 00:36:57,800 cos then I knew by the time they caught me they'd be blowing 616 00:36:57,800 --> 00:37:01,080 and when they caught me, their lips were blue, 617 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:03,680 their eyes pumping out of their head. 618 00:37:03,680 --> 00:37:06,600 I thought, "Save yourself for the last sprint." 619 00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:09,440 'Dave Weir on the verge of delivering 620 00:37:09,440 --> 00:37:13,840 the most amazing climax to the most amazing Paralympics.' 621 00:37:13,840 --> 00:37:16,760 That last bend, I had to be at the front. 622 00:37:16,760 --> 00:37:20,120 'Dave Weir heading for his fourth gold medal.' 623 00:37:20,520 --> 00:37:23,200 And I just made a kick. It reminded me 624 00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:25,920 of the last stretch in Richmond Park. 625 00:37:25,920 --> 00:37:28,040 And just hammer for home. 626 00:37:28,040 --> 00:37:30,840 'What a performance. What a week. 627 00:37:30,840 --> 00:37:32,920 Come on, Dave! Keep pushing!' 628 00:37:32,920 --> 00:37:35,440 'It was the fastest I've ever pushed in my chair.' 629 00:37:36,560 --> 00:37:38,920 Don't ask where I got it from, I don't know. 630 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:41,400 'Dave Weir, pushing for the line.' 631 00:37:41,400 --> 00:37:43,680 (WILD CHEERING) 'He has delivered once again. 632 00:37:43,680 --> 00:37:47,120 The crowd are going absolutely mad. 633 00:37:47,120 --> 00:37:51,560 Dave Weir has secured his fourth Paralympic gold 634 00:37:51,560 --> 00:37:54,480 and he must surely now go down 635 00:37:54,480 --> 00:37:57,960 as one of the greatest of all time.' 636 00:37:59,920 --> 00:38:04,200 The roar was tremendous. Still in my head now, really. 637 00:38:04,200 --> 00:38:08,360 But, um, beside myself. It was really nerve-wracking 638 00:38:08,360 --> 00:38:10,480 until he won, of course. 639 00:38:11,960 --> 00:38:15,560 (WILD CHEERING) 'The gold medallist and Paralympic Champion, 640 00:38:15,560 --> 00:38:17,880 David Weir!' 641 00:38:18,840 --> 00:38:21,240 'Two years of climbing the ladder 642 00:38:21,240 --> 00:38:24,560 and he's reached the pinnacle of his career. 643 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:28,360 He put his arms around me and said, "Do you know what, Jen?' 644 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:30,600 I can't believe I've done it." 645 00:38:30,600 --> 00:38:32,720 I said, "Neither can I, but we have." 646 00:38:32,720 --> 00:38:34,680 (CHEERING) 647 00:38:40,480 --> 00:38:43,080 Uh... Uh... You want to go on the grass? 648 00:38:43,360 --> 00:38:45,520 Uh... Yeah, with the car. 649 00:38:45,520 --> 00:38:47,840 Want to take him? Go on, then. Quick. 650 00:38:49,280 --> 00:38:53,120 Uh... Watch the track when you come back over, Ronnie. 651 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:56,480 People say, "You got me into cycling or running 652 00:38:56,480 --> 00:38:59,160 cos I saw you in the Paralympics. 653 00:38:59,160 --> 00:39:01,960 You're in a racing chair and racing. 654 00:39:01,960 --> 00:39:05,720 I should do something in my life to keep healthy." 655 00:39:05,720 --> 00:39:10,160 'Or kids coming up to me and saying, "You're my inspiration." 656 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:13,520 That's what I want to do is help people now.' 657 00:39:13,520 --> 00:39:15,480 That's my next part. 658 00:39:15,960 --> 00:39:18,040 OK. Ready? Off you go. 659 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:21,480 And relax. There's no pressure on you. 660 00:39:21,480 --> 00:39:23,760 Nice and relaxed. Good. 661 00:39:23,760 --> 00:39:25,920 That's so much better. 662 00:39:26,480 --> 00:39:29,280 Get both arms nice and even. Good. 663 00:39:29,280 --> 00:39:32,800 'The academy was an idea years ago me and Jenny had.' 664 00:39:32,800 --> 00:39:35,480 Well done. Keep your eye on that wheel. Good. 665 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:38,680 'I was in Beijing, doing my tape, and saw 666 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:42,720 the Swiss team come in and there were ten strong wheelchair racers' 667 00:39:42,720 --> 00:39:45,200 and I looked at us and there were four 668 00:39:45,200 --> 00:39:47,600 and I thought the size of our nation, 669 00:39:47,600 --> 00:39:50,280 the amount of disabled people in Britain, 670 00:39:50,280 --> 00:39:52,560 'surely we can have more than four.' 671 00:39:52,560 --> 00:39:54,800 Put your elbows in slightly 672 00:39:54,800 --> 00:39:57,720 so you can fit your knuckles underneath. 673 00:39:57,720 --> 00:40:01,720 Yeah? 'He came back and said, "I've got to do something about this."' 674 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:04,800 I said, "There's a time and place for everything." 675 00:40:04,800 --> 00:40:07,160 Want me to park? Yes, please, Dave. 676 00:40:07,160 --> 00:40:09,360 I said, "Wait till after London, 677 00:40:09,360 --> 00:40:11,800 we'll look at it. It could be your legacy." 678 00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:14,920 'I felt like I had to do something, 679 00:40:14,920 --> 00:40:18,080 cos I felt other people weren't doing enough.' 680 00:40:18,080 --> 00:40:20,120 Right, on your marks,... 681 00:40:23,640 --> 00:40:25,520 get set,... 682 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:28,760 Oh, no! 683 00:40:30,400 --> 00:40:34,760 Drive! Come on, let's go, let's go! Get those elbows up! Come on! 684 00:40:34,760 --> 00:40:37,560 'All my knowledge and Jenny's knowledge, 685 00:40:37,560 --> 00:40:41,640 I wanted to help. I didn't want to see the sport die, you know. 686 00:40:41,640 --> 00:40:43,680 I'm not going to race forever.' 687 00:40:45,160 --> 00:40:47,720 There's got to be another one of me somewhere. 688 00:40:47,720 --> 00:40:49,320 'Hopefully.' 689 00:40:54,840 --> 00:40:57,680 'I saw the Paralympics' 690 00:40:57,680 --> 00:41:01,240 in London and I saw Dave and I went straight out, 691 00:41:01,240 --> 00:41:04,320 cos I've always wanted to be in the Paralympics. 692 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:07,360 He said, "I wanted to do swimming 693 00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:09,840 and then I saw you race 694 00:41:09,840 --> 00:41:12,560 and then I wanted to do wheelchair racing." 695 00:41:12,560 --> 00:41:16,320 I said, "I'm so glad you chose wheelchair racing over swimming. 696 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:18,400 It's a better sport... in my eyes." 697 00:41:18,400 --> 00:41:20,760 I thought I really want to do it, 698 00:41:20,760 --> 00:41:24,400 and he just really inspired me. 699 00:41:24,400 --> 00:41:27,640 Four medals in the Paralympics is a lot of work. 700 00:41:27,640 --> 00:41:29,960 They don't just give it to you. 701 00:41:29,960 --> 00:41:33,160 You've got to be banging out twice a day 702 00:41:33,160 --> 00:41:36,760 for the next three years to get one of them. 703 00:41:36,760 --> 00:41:40,600 Am I allowed to pick it up? I want to see the weight of it. 704 00:41:40,600 --> 00:41:43,040 Trying to see the future. 705 00:41:43,040 --> 00:41:46,680 (LAUGHS) It's the future, it's the future, it's so cool. 706 00:41:46,680 --> 00:41:48,640 (LAUGHS) 707 00:41:49,960 --> 00:41:54,840 I'd make a big gold chain and carry it around everywhere. 708 00:41:55,720 --> 00:41:57,760 Do you want a go? Yeah. 709 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:02,800 All right? Uhh... 710 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:04,960 You want the gloves on? 711 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:09,680 'He's never let anybody down. He's always come back with gold medals.' 712 00:42:09,680 --> 00:42:12,840 Just being a part of him, being able to coach him, 713 00:42:12,840 --> 00:42:15,280 has been an honour, really. 714 00:42:15,280 --> 00:42:18,760 Do you want to do some fitness with the boys, first? Yeah. 715 00:42:18,760 --> 00:42:22,320 Does she understand you better than... Anyone else. 716 00:42:22,320 --> 00:42:26,400 Maybe she understands me better than my parents sometimes. 717 00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:29,360 Some straights, all right? Good. 718 00:42:29,360 --> 00:42:33,240 If you felt rubbish, you know, 719 00:42:33,240 --> 00:42:35,440 she would put an arm around you, 720 00:42:35,440 --> 00:42:39,640 but then if you needed a kick up the backside, she'd do it. 721 00:42:39,640 --> 00:42:42,960 Best of both worlds. That's what was good. 722 00:42:42,960 --> 00:42:46,400 She wasn't just my coach, she was my friend 723 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:49,320 and my mum as well. I was lucky. 724 00:42:49,320 --> 00:42:51,280 (JENNY CHATS AND LAUGHS) 725 00:42:55,720 --> 00:42:59,480 'It's nice to see him, you know, relaxed and smiling. 726 00:42:59,480 --> 00:43:01,800 He's achieved his goals. I say to him, 727 00:43:01,800 --> 00:43:04,320 "You've got nothing to prove to anybody. 728 00:43:04,320 --> 00:43:07,960 Enjoy it now. You know, just go and enjoy your life." 729 00:43:07,960 --> 00:43:10,400 (CHEERING AND STEADY HANDCLAP) 730 00:43:10,400 --> 00:43:14,920 'Ladies and gentlemen, on the screen is the next event up now - 731 00:43:14,920 --> 00:43:17,040 it's the men's T54.' 732 00:43:17,040 --> 00:43:19,160 (CHEERING AND WHISTLING) 733 00:43:22,920 --> 00:43:26,280 Growing up where I did you have to be strong-minded. 734 00:43:27,360 --> 00:43:29,560 (WILD CHEERING) 735 00:43:30,880 --> 00:43:34,600 I think that's where the fire comes from on the track, definitely. 736 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:37,880 There he goes! 737 00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:42,920 Go on, Dad! Go on, Dad! Go on, Dave! Go on, Dad! 738 00:43:43,240 --> 00:43:46,760 Could you in the past be a negative thinker? Yeah. 739 00:43:46,760 --> 00:43:48,400 Yeah. 740 00:43:49,880 --> 00:43:52,800 All the time. Come on, Dad! 741 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:54,880 Go on, Dad! 742 00:43:54,880 --> 00:43:56,720 But not now. 743 00:43:56,720 --> 00:44:00,960 (CHEERING) 'Splitting up with Ronnie's mum was quite tough. 744 00:44:00,960 --> 00:44:03,800 You always blame yourself if things go wrong. 745 00:44:03,800 --> 00:44:07,320 Being with Emily and the two kids I've got now, 746 00:44:07,320 --> 00:44:10,760 Emily's put a lot of positive thinking in me.' 747 00:44:10,760 --> 00:44:14,520 She always used to say, "Don't doubt yourself ever. 748 00:44:15,040 --> 00:44:17,000 Just race." 749 00:44:17,560 --> 00:44:20,120 Come on, Dave! Come on, Dave! 750 00:44:20,120 --> 00:44:22,680 Come on! (WILD CHEERING) 751 00:44:32,000 --> 00:44:34,240 'Was there any part of you as a kid 752 00:44:34,240 --> 00:44:37,400 playing in goal with callipers on the estate 753 00:44:37,400 --> 00:44:41,320 that thought you could be taken to the public's heart' 754 00:44:41,320 --> 00:44:44,000 in the way you have? No. 755 00:44:45,480 --> 00:44:47,920 'Winning the London Marathon, you think things 756 00:44:47,920 --> 00:44:52,200 are going to happen after that, but it never... never did.' 757 00:44:52,840 --> 00:44:55,320 The Games just changed our lives. 758 00:44:57,560 --> 00:44:59,440 'At last.' 759 00:44:59,440 --> 00:45:01,400 At last. 760 00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:06,360 'All he ever wanted, really.' 761 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:09,400 To be recognised as an athlete. 762 00:45:09,400 --> 00:45:12,280 We've wanted it for years, you know. 763 00:45:12,280 --> 00:45:14,360 If you hear a Paralympian moaning 764 00:45:14,360 --> 00:45:17,040 about being hounded for autographs... 765 00:45:17,040 --> 00:45:19,560 You should love every minute of it. 766 00:45:20,160 --> 00:45:22,120 (WILD CHEERING) 767 00:45:27,440 --> 00:45:29,520 'He's an amazing guy 768 00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:32,880 and I don't think it's going to end here.' 769 00:45:32,880 --> 00:45:35,920 It's not going to end here, not for a long time. 770 00:45:35,920 --> 00:45:40,120 Not if I have my way, anyway. I shall drag him down the track. 771 00:45:44,280 --> 00:45:47,000 Could Rio still happen? Probably. 772 00:45:50,800 --> 00:45:53,000 'The way I won my races in London 773 00:45:53,000 --> 00:45:55,840 gave me the confidence to carry on racing.' 774 00:45:55,840 --> 00:45:57,960 (CHEERING) 775 00:45:59,080 --> 00:46:01,520 I'll be in Rio, more than likely. 776 00:46:10,040 --> 00:46:12,000 subtitles by Deluxe