David Weir suffers Commonwealth Games marathon ‘despair’ after puncture

England’s David Weir admitted he only felt despair after losing out on the Commonwealth Games marathon title because of a puncture.

The six-time Paralympic champion suffered the problem with around 10 kilometres to go and was caught by winner Johnboy Smith.

Weir, 43, who only has one Commonwealth gold – the 1500m in 2014 – had a lead of almost three minutes before the issue and eventually finished seventh in the T53/54 event in Birmingham on Saturday.

“I’m feeling despair and I’ve never felt despair in a race before,” he said.

“By coincidence, I was talking with my wife the other day and I said that if I had a big lead I could even afford to change a tyre.

“In the end I decided not to carry a spare, I should have gone with my gut instinct. (Before I punctured) I was flying.

“Where I’ve come from, on a council estate, I don’t give up.”

Smith won in one hour 41 minutes and 15 seconds ahead of Scotland’s Sean Frame and England team-mate Simon Lawson.

But the 32-year-old – who won T54 marathon silver at the Gold Coast in 2018 – paid tribute to Weir.

He said: “I didn’t know he had a problem. I saw him from about 50 yards. I shouted out, ‘what happened?’. I cursed out loud a bit then so if it’s on camera I apologise to everyone. I didn’t want to win by default, but I’ve won gold and I deserve gold.

“If he hadn’t have got that flat I don’t know what would have happened. But I could have closed the gap. It would have been a sprint finish. I won by good circumstances.

“Do not write off David Weir. He is not an old man, he is a supreme athlete.

If Her Majesty the Queen is watching or listening, give him a knighthood. He deserves to be Sir David Weir- Johnboy Smith

“If Her Majesty the Queen is watching or listening, give him a