Six-time Paralympic champion David Weir retires from Team GB as the 45-year-old admits ‘it’s an age thing’ – but still plans to compete internationally

Six-time Paralympic wheelchair racer David Weir has announced his retirement from international competition after a memorable 28-year run at the Games.

The 45-year-old made his debut at the age of 17 in Atlanta in 1996, before claiming his first two gold medals in Beijing in 2008. He followed this up with four gold medals on home soil at London 2012, becoming one of the first Paralympic athletes to enter the public consciousness.

And Paris provided the perfect backdrop to the conclusion of the Weirwolf’s glittering career as he crossed the finish line fifth, ahead of the impressive Invalides, in a time of 1 hour 33 minutes and 27 seconds in the T54 wheelchair marathon.

“It was quite emotional at the end because this will be my last race for Britain,” Weir said.

“I’m still going to run the big marathons, but it will be my last international. My body just couldn’t handle it today. It’s a matter of age, I was the oldest in the field.

Weir won six Paralympic gold medals during his time on the biggest stage

“I’m still very competitive and still trying to beat Daniel (Romanchuk, 26-year-old American athlete who finished fourth), who is half my age, I could be his father! I’m still doing well. I gave it my all today.”

Weir was nearly selected for Barcelona 1992 at the age of 13 and his first Paralympic Games could have been his last after a disappointing showing at Atlanta 1996 saw him temporarily pull out.

However, Weir felt rejuvenated by the buzz of televised Sydney 2000 and returned for Athens 2004, beginning his quest for fame that culminated in 2012 on the bustling Mall in his hometown.

Meanwhile, chef de mission Penny Briscoe has said she expects the standard of competition to ‘continue to increase’ now that Britain has retained second place in the medal table.

The team returns home with 124 medals — 49 gold, 44 silver and 31 bronze — and have now finished runner-up in six of the last seven Summer Paralympics. The total matches Tokyo 2020, but adds eight more golds this summer.

“I am incredibly proud of the performances of our athletes, who showed how competitive we are across a wide range of sports and disability groups,” she said. “The standards set at these Games were exceptional and medals and personal bests have never been so hard-fought.”

Weir travelled to Paris with the Team GB squad for his seventh Paralympic Games

Although Britain’s medal total met the UK Sport target of 100 to 140, there were plenty of other podium finishes that slipped through the net.

“We’re going to go home and think about those margins and start to untangle them,” Briscoe said.

“Sometimes the ball doesn’t go your way and we accept that. But is there anything else we need to make sure we don’t lose sight of as we look to LA, where the standards will undoubtedly continue to rise.”