Category Sports News

Great Britain’s David Weir says he will do “all I can” to stop Swiss great Marcel Hug equalling his record tally of eight London Marathon wins after both athletes were confirmed for this year’s race.

World record holder Hug, a three-time Paralympic Games marathon gold medallist, will bid to win the London Marathon for a sixth consecutive year on Sunday, 26 April.

The 46-year-old Weir, who achieved his most recent victory in London in 2018, said: “Marcel is an incredible athlete operating at the peak of his powers.

The announcement of the elite wheelchair fields at the 2026 London Marathon followed Monday’s unveiling of the elite British men and women participants.

Weir will be joined by fellow Britons Sean Frame, Simon Lawson, Nathan Maguire, Michael McCabe and Johnboy Smith in the men’s wheelchair race.

Eden Rainbow-Cooper competes in the women’s event, alongside another dominant Swiss athlete in Catherine Debrunner, winner of the past two London Marathons.

The London Marathon became the first marathon to award equal prize money to wheelchair and non-disabled elite athletes in 2024.

Hug, the course record holder in London, said: “For me, it is more than a race. It is an organisation that has done so much to put wheelchair racing and us, as athletes, at the very heart of the event.

“It is for this reason that I am proud to have enjoyed the success I have here, and to be one win away from a legend like David Weir is incredible.”

The 40-year-old and Weir are long-time rivals, and the Briton finished runner-up to Switzerland’s Hug in their most recent head-to-head at last year’s New York City Marathon.

Weir’s eight London victories span 16 years, with his first coming in 2002. He finished sixth last year.

When Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich in 2023, it was widely expected that the England captain would only stay for a few years to fulfil his dream of winning a handful of trophies before returning to the Premier League.

Much has been made of Kane ranking second in the Premier League’s all-time goalscorer list and that he only needs another 48 goals to break Alan Shearer’s record.

But perhaps an individual record is not as important to Kane as leaving a legacy at a major European club.

Max Eberl, Bayern’s head of sport, has revealed that the club are working on extending Kane’s contract which currently runs until 2027. Obviously, that subject matter had to come up at some point during this season, because, if Kane rejects an extension, Bayern could only make money by selling him in the upcoming summer or January transfer windows.

Fascinatingly, Eberl seemed quite positive when he spoke to reporters at Monday’s New Year reception of the German Football League (DFL), saying: “We are speaking with Harry.”

The sentiment has vastly changed from when Kane made the move from Tottenham to Bayern. The record German champions are more confident than ever they can keep Kane beyond 2026 or 2027.

It is fair to say that Kane will go down in history as one of the best strikers to ever play in the Bundesliga. He essentially succeeded Robert Lewandowski, although there was a one-year gap between Lewandowski’s departure to Barcelona and Kane’s arrival in Munich, and is proving every bit as effective as the Poland striker was for Bayern for years.

Kane has scored 119 goals in 126 games thus far, with no signs of slowing down.

This season, he is effectively chasing Lewandowski’s single-season record in the Bundesliga. The Poland international scored 41 goals in the 2020-21 season, while Kane has scored 21 goals after 19 matchdays of what is a 34-game campaign.

Some might say that he dominates the penalty area against inferior opponents, and there is something to be said about the limited quality of the bottom third of Bundesliga teams, but that bottom third is not weaker than the bottom third in La Liga or Serie A.

Goals alone don’t tell the entire story of Kane’s impact on and off the field. Similar to his role for the Three Lions, Kane likes to drop deep into midfield and deliver long passes to the wingers. He is more than just a goalscorer.

And he is more than just a key player, too. Kane immediately moved into a leadership role upon his arrival in Munich, while also establishing great relationships with several players over time.

Some of these relationships came naturally, especially with London-born Michael Olise or Jamal Musiala, who spent years in London as a youth player. Eric Dier, Kane’s friend and former Tottenham team-mate, spent 18 months at Bayern before moving to Monaco last summer.

But even beyond his England-driven friendships, Kane seemingly gets along with virtually everyone and is highly respected for his career achievements and the way he conducts himself.

Another decisive factor that may lead to Kane extending his contract is his wife Kate. She and their four children – Ivy, Vivienne, Louis, and Henry – enjoy life in Munich, including the fact that Kane is rarely chased by any fans or photographers.

There is the occasional picture in a newspaper showing Kane and his family doing mundane activities, but they don’t feel much, if any, intrusion into their private life.

When the Kanes came to Munich, they didn’t know what to expect, which is why they were surprised by how normally they are able to move around the city.

His most difficult challenge might not be getting past goalkeepers but learning German.

He attended his first lessons shortly after joining Bayern but has admitted that using his language skills on the street remains difficult. The distinct Bavarian dialect spoken in Munich certainly does not help in that regard.

When Harry Kane joined Bayern Munich in 2023, it was widely expected that the England captain would only stay for a few years to fulfil his dream of winning a handful of trophies before returning to the Premier League.

Much has been made of Kane ranking second in the Premier League’s all-time goalscorer list and that he only needs another 48 goals to break Alan Shearer’s record.

But perhaps an individual record is not as important to Kane as leaving a legacy at a major European club.

Max Eberl, Bayern’s head of sport, has revealed that the club are working on extending Kane’s contract which currently runs until 2027. Obviously, that subject matter had to come up at some point during this season, because, if Kane rejects an extension, Bayern could only make money by selling him in the upcoming summer or January transfer windows.

Fascinatingly, Eberl seemed quite positive when he spoke to reporters at Monday’s New Year reception of the German Football League (DFL), saying: “We are speaking with Harry.”

The sentiment has vastly changed from when Kane made the move from Tottenham to Bayern. The record German champions are more confident than ever they can keep Kane beyond 2026 or 2027.

It is fair to say that Kane will go down in history as one of the best strikers to ever play in the Bundesliga. He essentially succeeded Robert Lewandowski, although there was a one-year gap between Lewandowski’s departure to Barcelona and Kane’s arrival in Munich, and is proving every bit as effective as the Poland striker was for Bayern for years.

Kane has scored 119 goals in 126 games thus far, with no signs of slowing down.

This season, he is effectively chasing Lewandowski’s single-season record in the Bundesliga. The Poland international scored 41 goals in the 2020-21 season, while Kane has scored 21 goals after 19 matchdays of what is a 34-game campaign.

Some might say that he dominates the penalty area against inferior opponents, and there is something to be said about the limited quality of the bottom third of Bundesliga teams, but that bottom third is not weaker than the bottom third in La Liga or Serie A.

Goals alone don’t tell the entire story of Kane’s impact on and off the field. Similar to his role for the Three Lions, Kane likes to drop deep into midfield and deliver long passes to the wingers. He is more than just a goalscorer.

And he is more than just a key player, too. Kane immediately moved into a leadership role upon his arrival in Munich, while also establishing great relationships with several players over time.

Some of these relationships came naturally, especially with London-born Michael Olise or Jamal Musiala, who spent years in London as a youth player. Eric Dier, Kane’s friend and former Tottenham team-mate, spent 18 months at Bayern before moving to Monaco last summer.

But even beyond his England-driven friendships, Kane seemingly gets along with virtually everyone and is highly respected for his career achievements and the way he conducts himself.

Another decisive factor that may lead to Kane extending his contract is his wife Kate. She and their four children – Ivy, Vivienne, Louis, and Henry – enjoy life in Munich, including the fact that Kane is rarely chased by any fans or photographers.

There is the occasional picture in a newspaper showing Kane and his family doing mundane activities, but they don’t feel much, if any, intrusion into their private life.

When the Kanes came to Munich, they didn’t know what to expect, which is why they were surprised by how normally they are able to move around the city.

His most difficult challenge might not be getting past goalkeepers but learning German.

He attended his first lessons shortly after joining Bayern but has admitted that using his language skills on the street remains difficult. The distinct Bavarian dialect spoken in Munich certainly does not help in that regard.

Increasingly, it feels like a case of “now or never” for Novak Djokovic.

The longer time ticks on, the less likely it is that 38-year-old Djokovic will claim the elusive 25th Grand Slam title he so dearly craves.

If he is going to move clear of Australia’s Margaret Court in terms of all-time major victories, the smart money goes on Djokovic doing it at Melbourne Park.

History shows how much he loves the place. Djokovic has lifted a record 10 men’s titles at the Australian Open and, overall, won 102 of his 112 matches on Melbourne’s hard courts.

Given that body of work, his fans are starting to believe the stars are aligning – with several reasons enhancing that belief in recent days.

Firstly, fourth seed Djokovic had a narrow escape when he recklessly cracked a ball close to a ball girl during his third-round win over Botic van de Zandschulp.

Djokovic admitted afterwards he was “lucky”. Had the ball struck the girl, he would almost certainly have been defaulted and seen another attempt at number 25 aborted by his own carelessness.

Secondly, Djokovic was handed a walkover on Sunday following injured opponent Jakub Mensik’s withdrawal from their last-16 match.

For some players, going three days without a match can leave them cold.

Given Djokovic’s advancing years and ability to find his best form without playing regularly, it feels like a bonus heading into Wednesday’s quarter-final.

Feeling fresher by playing a match fewer than future opponents – Lorenzo Musetti in the quarter-finals on Wednesday, then potentially Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner – could be crucial.

Thirdly, Djokovic knows his aura – as well as his game – has overawed Musetti in the past, ensuring he remains the favourite to reach the last four.

While there are positive signs, it is obvious some conundrums remain the same for Djokovic.

Whether his ageing body can hold up at the business end of a Grand Slam – even with the benefit of being gifted a round off – remains to be seen.

And the pertinent question has not gone away: will Djokovic have enough in the tank to potentially beat Alcaraz and Sinner back-to-back?

Alcaraz and Sinner have won the past eight Grand Slams between them, a run going back to Djokovic’s victory at the 2023 US Open, and both remain in the men’s draw.

Djokovic is not delusional. He knows 22-year-old Alcaraz and 24-year-old Sinner are a cut above the rest, but retains belief he can oust them.

Last year, Djokovic reached the semi-finals of all four majors – a remarkable feat which showed he remains that duo’s nearest challenger based on ability.

The physical durability needed to land his 25th major was missing.

Djokovic beat Alcaraz in the Australian Open quarter-finals, but the effort expended in fighting through a hamstring injury ruined his chances of challenging Alexander Zverev.

Suffering a leg injury in the French Open semi-final against Sinner harmed his chances, then he considered retiring from their Wimbledon semi-final because of a groin problem.

“On [any] given day when I’m feeling good physically and mentally, when I’m playing well, I can challenge anybody, and I still believe I can beat all of them,” said the Serb.

“If that’s not the case, I wouldn’t be here.”

Djokovic has attempted to release pressure – internally and externally – by claiming he does not see this latest Melbourne tilt as “make or break” for his chances of surpassing Court.

Some believe Djokovic will not win another major again if he does not lift the Australian Open title on Sunday.

That still feels a foolish prediction, especially given his nous and experience on the Wimbledon grass.

By that point, though, he will be into his 40th year. He turns 39 in May.

But would you dare rule Djokovic – a man who has made a career of achieving the seemingly unachievable – out of anything?