Legless competitor completes marathon

A VETERAN soldier who lost his legs to a mortar round in Vietnam finished the Los Angeles Marathon on Saturday, a week after he began, to the cheers of supporters and passers-by.

Police closed down the last half block of the 26.2-mile course so Bob Wieland, 57, propelled only by his hands, could cross the finish line in the middle of a downtown street.

As about 150 people huddled around, Wieland raised a hand and pointed his index finger in the air as a marathon official placed a medal around his neck.

“This was not natural. This was supernatural,” he said. “It was only done by the grace of God.”

Wieland finished in 173 hours and 45 minutes, marathon officials said. He said he slept only 11 hours since he began the route on March 1.

In an emotional gathering in the middle of the street, a friend gave Wieland a trophy for most courageous athlete in America.

He thanked his support team and the strangers who cheered for him as he slowly made his way along the route’s footpaths and streets.

It wasn’t the first long hand-walk for Wieland, who lives in suburban Arcadia. He crossed the nation from California to Washington DC, over three years, eight months and six days in 1982-86. He’s also finished the New York City Marathon twice and the Ironman triathlon in Hawaii.

This was his third time finishing the Los Angeles Marathon, although it was his slowest time.