LONDON, (Reuters) – Four years ago Warren Weir was at home watching Usain Bolt race to a 100 and 200 metres Olympic double in Beijing but yesterday he sat beside him having just helped deliver a Jamaican clean sweep in the longer distance at the London Games.
“I came out here with the goal of getting the 1-2-3 for Jamaica. I’m very overwhelmed to know that I played my part in history,” the 22-year-old told reporters after winning a bronze medal behind Usain Bolt and Yohan Blake.
Still with the looks and physique of a teenager in comparison to the refined figure of 25-year-old Bolt and the muscled physique of Blake, also 22, Weir stands out from his more famous countrymen on all accounts.
Bolt’s victory yesterday secured an amazing Olympic double-double and made him the sport’s greatest ever athlete. Blake is both a contender and likely successor to Bolt, and already world champion in the 100 metres.
Although less of a household name, Weir is highly rated by Glen Mills, who also trains Blake and Bolt. “Coach Glen Mills is like a father to me. He said, I’m going to turn you into a sprinter that the world will see and recognise and I’ve got to say thank you very much,” said Weir, who was born in Trelawny, the same parish as Bolt.
That process started with the skinny youngster making the switch from hurdles to the 200m, and with a medal at his first Olympic Games courtesy of a personal best on the world’s biggest stage, it is a gamble that has paid off. “To come to the Olympics and run in the 200 and come in with a 19.84 (seconds) is an excellent feeling. To know that I’ve switched from the hurdles to the 200 and that result paid off -coach Mills, your vision paid off,” Weir said.
