Weir Archer Academy blog

Sensational results in Switzerland

Sam Walkington — Tue, 26 May 2026 15:45:00 GMT

Weir Archer athletes delivered an impressive start to the Swiss para‑athletics circuit as the opening competitions got underway in Arbon. Club Captain Hilmy Shawwal T54, Ellis Kottas T54, and Natasha Settelen T34 each delivered standout performances across multiple distances, securing a series of Personal Bests (PB) and Season Bests (SB).

Racing on 14 May at the Daniela Jutzeler Memorial, Shawwal, competing for Team Tanzania, produced a fantastic result with an 18‑second PB in the 1500 metres. He also recorded SB times in both the 100‑metre and 400‑metre events, confirming a strong early season form.

Kottas enjoyed a successful meet of her own, registering a 16‑second PB in the 1500 metres and an 11‑second PB in the 800 metres. Settelen, a consistent performer on the Swiss tracks, added to the club’s achievements with SB’s in the 200‑metre and 400‑metre races.

Following the Arbon events, Kottas and Settelen continued their racing campaign by travelling to ParaAthletics 2026 in Nottwil, aiming to build on their early momentum.

The results for the Arbon competition are as follows:

	Hilmy Shawwal T54	Ellis Kottas T54	Natasha Settelen T34
100m	16.67 SB	19.91 SB	/
200m	/	/	45.68 SB
400m	59.15 SB	/	87.39 SB
800m	/	2:00.95 PB	/
1500m	3:52.03 PB	3:47.81 PB	/

Above: Ellis Kottas. Image via @ellisonaroll on Instagram

Above: Natasha Settelen. Image via @natashasettlen on Instagram

The Weltklasse am See competition, commenced in Nottwil, and saw Yasmine Hodkinson, Toby Metzgen and Ellis Kottas racing for Team England alongside Natasha Settlen. The group participated in multiple races and distances, with each athlete achieving PB and SB times.

The results for the Nottwil competition are as follows:

	Toby Metzgen T34	Yasmine Hodkinson T54	Ellis Kottas T54	Natasha Settlen T34
100m	18.09 PB	20.06 PB	/	24.62 SB
200m	/	/	/	44.14 SB
400m	62.87 PB	72.88 PB	63.11 PB	85.17 SB
800m	2:03.43 PB	2:24.25 PB	2:06.03 PB	2:58.62
1500m	/	4:40.79 PB	3:44.68 PB	/

The Weir Archer Academy are immensely proud of all the athletes after a series of excellent performances across the two competitions in Switzerland where temperatures climbed to an intense 29°C. Despite the demanding conditions, they delivered brilliant results and demonstrated remarkable resilience throughout the competition schedule.

For Hodkinson and Metzgen, the event marked their first appearance representing England, a milestone made even more notable for Hodkinson, who is balancing elite sport with her ongoing A‑level studies. Both athletes rose to the occasion, showcasing composure and competitive maturity on the international stage.

Meanwhile, Kottas and Settelen faced a tough challenge: back‑to‑back competitions at both Arbon and Nottwil.

With strong performances, personal and season bests, and valuable international experience gained, the athletes are set to return to the club with momentum and confidence.

Three Academy athletes set to represent England at World Para Athletics Grand Prix

Sam Walkington — Sun, 17 May 2026 12:00:00 GMT

From left to right: Yasmine Hodkinson, Toby Metzgen, Ellis Kottas

England will be represented by three Weir Archer Academy athletes in the upcoming 2026 World Para Athletics Grand Prix in Nottwil, Switzerland, appearing on the track on 21-23 May

The Academy athletes that are on the team are Toby Metzgen (T34 100m, 400m, 800m), Yasmine Hodkinson (T54 100m, 400m, 800m, 1500m) and Ellis Kottas (T54 400m, 800m, 1500m).

Natasha Settlen and Hilmy Shawal have also flown over to compete, with Hilmy participating in the Weltklasse am See competition in Arbon, and Natasha competing in both the Weltklasse am See and World Para Athletics Grand Prix.

National Para Athletics Manager Matt Kendrick told England Athletics: “We have a good mix of experienced athletes and those who will be a part of an England team for the first time and I look forward to seeing what they can achieve on one of the world's fastest tracks.”

The Nottwil track is well-known for being remarkably fast, with David Weir achieving a time of 1:30.91 in the 800-metres race in June 2024, providing the ideal conditions for competing athletes.

This is one in a number of upcoming events that Academy athletes will be taking part in, notably the Commonwealth Games 2026 in Glasgow, taking place from 23 July to 2 August.

Successful showings at the Four Counties Disability Championships

Sam Walkington — Thu, 14 May 2026 08:57:32 GMT

April 18th marked a strong showing from Weir Archer athletes at the Four Counties Disability Championships, with multiple standout performances throughout the day.

The athletes that came away with gold medals were Yasmine Hodkinson, Owen Edwardes, Miles Edwardes, Toby Metzgen, Sam Walkington, Ellis Kottas and Liam Coffil, with other athletes such as Natasha Settelen having an excellent showing.

Hodkinson wrote on Instagram: “Had the best time racing in the Four Counties Champs yesterday. Really happy to get a 14 second PB in the 1500m, and the rest of the day was very close, so I’m happy for one of my first races of the season.”

England Athletics financed the athletes, with a grant to assist with entry fees for para-athletes. As a result, they have been reduced to £2.50 per event.

The competition, organised by Camilla Thrush, was praised for its upbeat atmosphere and smooth delivery, setting an excellent tone for the season’s first track meet.

Favourable conditions were experienced on the day with a sunny backdrop, despite the occasional gust of wind.

The programme of events included ambulant track and field, frame running, wheelchair racing and seated throws, with entry open to under 14 athletes and above.

Overall, the competition showcased stellar performances in all areas and camaraderie amongst all athletes.

David Weir claims podium in 27th London Marathon as his Academy athletes sweep Mini Marathon honours

Sam Walkington — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 14:45:00 GMT

On Sunday 26 April, the highly decorated David Weir CBE placed third in the TCS London Marathon 2026.

This was his 27th consecutive London Marathon, recording a time of 1:29:23.

“I did my own race against my own rhythm and start [sic] thinking of the training and people telling me things in my head,” said Weir in an interview with Jasmine Collett after the event.

Weir had experienced mechanical difficulties earlier in the week in the Boston Marathon, however this did not deter him from competing in the event.

A total of 1,133,813 people from around the world entered into the public ballot for the chance to take part in the Marathon, breaking world records.

Of the total participants, six were elite multinational wheelchair racers.

When speaking about David Weir, Paralympian Marcel Hug said: “David is a great, great athlete. He’s a hero in our sport, and he did so many things for the London Marathon and wheelchair racing in general, so to be equal with him even would be a great achievement.”

The Weir Archer Academy was also represented by Claudia Burrough, who finished with a time of three hours and six minutes and competed in her day chair.

Preceding this competition was the TCS London Mini Marathon, which saw four athletes from the Academy take part.

The four athletes were Owen Edwardes, Toby Metzgen and Yasmine Hodkinson, all taking first place, and Lucas McElroy taking third place.

Owen wrote on his Instagram: “Finishing first in my age and classification and taking 43 seconds off my PB was the icing on the cake.”

Weir presented each of the athletes their medals, ending the day with a special moment.

Toby noted on his Instagram: “Amazing to have my medal presented by the great David Weir.”

WAA Newsletter: Winter Season Highlights

Sam Walkington — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:22:22 GMT

Check out the latest edition of our Newsletter, here ... Weir Archer Academy Newsletter: Winter Season Highlights

Weir Archer Athletes Push 487 Laps to Support The Royal British Legion

matt@weirarcher.academy (Matt Hodkinson) — Sat, 29 Nov 2025 15:12:32 GMT

On Monday 10th November, athletes from the Weir Archer Academy Athletics Club came together for a remarkable sponsored push in their racing wheelchairs in support of The Royal British Legion. To commemorate 80 years since the end of the Second World War, one of our athletes, Morgan, set himself a powerful personal challenge. His goal was to complete 80 laps on his own, honouring the anniversary with determination and pride.

What followed was an extraordinary day of teamwork, encouragement and community spirit. Morgan successfully completed all 80 laps, and his effort inspired the rest of the club to join him on the track. Athletes of all ages and stages came out in support, adding their own laps and pushing as far as they could. Together, they reached an incredible collective total of 487 laps, covering 194.8km. This is roughly the distance from the Club to Dunkirk, the site of one of the most significant events of WWII.

For the Weir Archer community, this challenge was about more than numbers. It was an opportunity to honour those who served and to showcase the values that bind our club together. Whether they are Paralympians, pathway athletes preparing for elite competition or younger members building confidence and belonging through sport, everyone played a role in the success of the day.

"On the 10 ^th of November I took on a challenge for the poppy appeal. 80 laps to commemorate 80 years since the end of WWII.

To help me on this challenge my fellow Weir Archer teammates joined in and cheered me on.

This is a small token to give those who gave so much.

With a Just giving page and cash the total raised was £799.

A big thank you to all who supported us."

Morgan

Toby, one of our younger athletes who represented his CCF cadet force in the Kingston Remembrance Sunday Parade the day before, captured the feeling among the group when he said:

“My effort is nothing compared to those who serve. Being part of this challenge made me feel connected to something important and showed me how much we can achieve when we work together.”

Another athlete, Yasmine, spoke about what the collective effort meant to her:

“It felt amazing to see everyone out there supporting Morgan and each other. That sense of togetherness is what makes Weir Archer so special.”

Events like this highlight how committed our athletes are to giving back. While racing is central to what we do, supporting our wider community is equally important. The sponsored push was another example of how our athletes, families, coaches and volunteers unite to make a positive difference beyond the track.

In total, the event raised £709 for The Royal British Legion. This is a fantastic achievement and reflects the generosity of everyone who donated and cheered our athletes on.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to all who contributed. Your encouragement made an unforgettable day possible and strengthened the unity that defines the Weir Archer Academy.

Together, we push further. Together, we make a difference.