David Weir sets a course record in the wheelchair race just a few weeks after a nasty training crash

Jack Rowe equalled Mo Farah’s record of three wins in the men's race at The Big Half on Sunday (Sept 7) as Jess Warner-Judd took the women's race and David Weir emerged as the winner in the wheelchair race just a few weeks after a training crash where he collided with a car.

Rowe broke clear of fellow Brits Mo Aadan and Weynay Ghebresilasie around 11 miles into the race to storm to victory in 64:08.

Aadan was second in 64:46 and Ghebresilasie third in 64:53.

Rowe said: “It’s really nice to have become the first person to win The Big Half three times in a row. It was a really good, fun race.

"There was a big group of us out there and it was quite hard to push a fast pace as it was windy at times which made it quite cagey, but also fun to race in."

In the elite women’s race, Warner-Judd, who is preparing for her marathon debut at the TCS New York City Marathon on November 2, took the honours after a close battle with Abbie Donnelly and Sam Harrison.

Warner-Judd pulled clear about four miles from the finish to come home in 70:35 with Donnelly second in 71:24 and Harrison third in 71:40.

Judd, who was diagnosed with epilepsy after collapsing during the European Championships 10,000m final in Rome last summer, said she’s had a challenging 12 months dealing with her condition, but is enjoying a fresh start on the roads.

“It has been a really hard year," she said. "I wanted to have a track season but, basically, every time I go on to the track it’s like I can’t remember the race, so I’ve started trauma therapy and that seems to be really helping.

“I wanted to do the track and make the team for the Tokyo World Championships, but it became really obvious early on that just wasn’t happening.

The training and everything was fine and that made is more frustrating, I was probably in the shape of my life but I’ve basically had to start again.

I am hoping with the therapy and stuff that I can come back to the track but to be honest, I am really enjoying the road and it’s a fresh start."

Weir smashed the wheelchair race course record just weeks after sustaining injuries in a training collision with a vehicle.

Weir won the event for a record fourth time in a time of 46:58, beating his own previous men's wheelchair record from 2022 by 20 seconds.

It came just over six weeks after the 46-year-old suffered arm, back and shoulder injuries after colliding with a vehicle while training near his home, an incident which forced him to miss last weekend’s TCS Sydney Marathon.

He said: “I’ve not raced for a while after the accident in July and have been left a bit rusty so I am very happy to have set a course record, but I still think there is more than in the tank.

"I was going at 21mph when I had the accident and had to go the hospital to get stitches. I had punctured a hole in my arm and my whole back was grazed. Fortunately, there were no breaks but I had to take two weeks off so I’ve only had a month to get back into shape really so this has been good going into the Berlin Marathon."

On the accident, Weir added: “I was out on my usual training route near my home, on coastal roads that lead into a farm track which I’ve used hundreds of times. There’s a slight bend – not even a proper corner, as I don’t need to steer around it. A driver was coming the other way, and I just took my eyes off the road for a moment. He stopped instantly, but I went straight into him and had to go to hospital. I punctured my arm and grazed my entire back.

"I was doing about 20-21 miles an hour, testing my wheels, bearings and tyres, so I was going quickly. A week later, I had to go to Switzerland to take a young squad out for training, working alongside [fellow elite wheelchair racer] Marcel Hug. Luckily, I was able to get my chair looked at while I was there, since that’s where it’s made.”

Eden Rainbow-Cooper, fresh off finishing second at last weekend’s TCS Sydney Marathon, won the elite women’s wheelchair race in 54:31 ahead of Jade Jones-Hall in 56:28.

Rainbow-Cooper said: “I feel good, Sydney was great and great to be back here in London. I was still feeling the effect of the travel a bit but I felt energised by the crowds out there today. I’m looking forward to going home now and having a few days off now though.”