Weir looks to rebound strongly

André Lowe, Senior Staff Reporter

After cutting what, by his admission, was a poor season short last year due to a knee issue, Warren Weir says he is nearing his best and has set his sights squarely on this year's major assignments.

Weir, the 200-metre bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympic Games and silver-medal winner a year later at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) World Championships in Moscow, hardly looked like himself last season.

In the absence of Usain Bolt, the double world record holder and Olympic and World champion, as well as Yohan Blake, Weir was expected to lead the Jamaican charge on the circuit, but ended up suffering two surprising defeats to the less-fancied Rasheed Dwyer.

Remains Confident

Weir, conditioned by Glen Mills at the Racers Track Club, was second behind Dwyer at the National Senior Championships, before again crossing the finish line behind the Maurice Wilson-coached Sprint Tech athlete at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

Still, after helping Jamaica to a world record 1:18.63 in the 4x200m relays at the inaugural IAAF World Relays earlier in the season, Weir is keeping heart with last year's efforts and remains confident ahead of his expected season debut at this weekend's Camperdown Classics.

"Last season was a rocky season for me," he admitted. "The highlight was the world record at the World Relays, and if it wasn't for that event and the world record there, I would have definitely counted last season as a disappointment and a failure.

"Nevertheless, I went to the Commonwealth Games and got a medal, so, overall, I'm thankful and I'm pleased," Weir said.

"The fact that the season was cut short last year was also in preparation for this season, so I'm looking forward to this season," Weir told The Gleaner. "It's the World Championships year, and it's in Beijing, so I'm looking forward to it.

"So the World Championships is, of course, one of the biggest targets for me this season, and I also want to go back to The Bahamas for the World Relays," Weir added.

"It's an important season. We have been putting in a lot of work and, overall, I am pleased with where I am at his point," said Weir. "I was stronger last year, but there was some aches and pains, and we are still working on that. I'm healthy and I'm where I'm supposed to be. God is good, and I'm feeling good."

Still, for all the issues he endured last season, only American Justin Gatlin recorded a faster time than the 25-year-old over 200 metres, with his season-best 19.82 seconds at the New York Diamond League, registered as the third fastest of the season behind Gatlin's 19.68 and 19.71.