Fearnley focussed on NY marathon defence

Australian wheelchair ace Kurt Fearnley admits feeling nervous as he aims to
complete a calendar year unbeaten with a sixth consecutive marathon win in New York
this weekend.
The 28-year-old Paralympic Games star has snared wheelchair marathon victories in
Paris, London, Seoul, Sydney and Chicago already in 2009 but the annual New York
marathon has him on edge, even though he's won the last three of them.
"This year feels a bit different, I'm more excited about the race than I have been
for a long time, but also more nervous," said Fearnley.
"This race consistently attracts the strongest field in our sport and no one has won
four in a row.
"I'd love to be the first but I'll be racing with a big target on my back."
The three-time Paralympian will face one of the strongest wheelchair marathon fields
assembled since last year's Beijing Paralympics, where Fearnley claimed gold in a
photo finish.
He will be joined in New York by four former winners of the event as well as South
African wheelchair gun Ernst van Dyk and Swiss world-record holder Heinz Frei.
Following his final marathon outing for the year, Fearnley will take on what is
arguably the biggest challenge of his career when he attempts to crawl the Kokoda
Track next month.