David Weir was left "gutted" after his bid to win a record seventh Virgin London marathon T53/54 wheelchair race title slipped from his hands on Sunday.
The six-time Paralympic gold medallist from Wallington, known as the Weir Wolf, was outsprinted to the finish by American Joshua George, who won in by a second in one hour 31 minutes 31 seconds.
Weir appeared to have the race sewn up when two of his great rivals - Switzerland's Marcel Hug and Canada’s Josh Cassidy - both retired with tire punctures.
However, George found that extra gear during the straight finish down The Mall to take the crown.
Capital effort: Youngsters do the borough of Croydon proud
Weir said: “I’m a bit gutted, but it was down to my equipment more than anything.
“My glove fell apart at about 16 miles and the material I was using for the rain came unstuck and I had to change my technique slightly pushing more with my knuckles than I usually do.
“I think that tired me out a little bit, but I felt alright up until the end, but I just didn’t have anything there because of the grip.
“That’s racing, things happen. You get punctures, gloves can come apart and that sometimes what happens."
He added: “I’m not going to take anything away from Josh because he was strong all through the race.
"I knew he was going to be a strong sprinter at the end because that’s what he used to do on the track.”
Disappointed: Scott Overall
In the main men’s race, Sutton-based Scott Overall finished 13th in 2:13:13, with Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge taking his maiden London title in 2:04:42.
"I'm a little disappointed, 30 seconds quicker and I would have been a lot happier but it's a step in the right direction," said the 32-year-old.
"This is a stepping stone towards the Olympics for me. I need to sit down with my coach and decide on the plan now because Rio is the ultimate aim."
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