YESTERDAY Carcoar wheelchair champion Kurt Fearnley was smiling and snapping selfies with the mascot for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, but come next Tuesday he will have his game face on.

That will be when Fearnley lines up in his heat of the men’s T54 1,500 metre wheelchair event as the defending Commonwealth Games gold medallist.

Four years ago in New Delhi, Fearnley won the final 150m sprint to the line at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium to claim the gold medal.

While that effort means Fearnley ranks among the favourites in Glasgow, he believes British rival David Weir is the man to beat.

Weir dominated the 2012 London Paralympic Games, his four gold medals including victory in the 1,500m. Fearnley placed seventh in that final.

“He’s been winning more or less a majority of his races for two or three years, so he will line up there as a heavy favourite and I will line up there as they guy who is trying to tear him off it,” Fearnley said before departing for Glasgow.

Weir also beat Fearnley over 1,500m at the Beijing Paralympic Games, the CSU graduate claiming bronze, while on Sunday at The Mall in London he showed his touch over one mile.

He covered the distance – which equates to 1,609 metres – in three minutes, 20 seconds. 

“It’s only a mile which is just over the distance for the 1,500, so it’s another good test for my race in Glasgow,” Weir said.

Still, Fearnley is a man who loves a challenge. 

He has bypassed a number of marathons in the build up to focus on being ready for the shorter distance event. 

He put in three months of intense training before leaving Australia and is happy with his preparation.

“I feel like this has been the highest intensity that I have been able to get for that shorter duration for years,” Fearnley the 33-year-old said. 

“If I am able to win a 1,500 it’s now.”

Fearnley qualified for the 1,500m at January’s Summer Down Under series at Canberra. He clocked a time of 3:02.61.

His personal best for the distance is a 2:58.24 he clocked in Atlanta in 2006 and if he is able to replicate that sort of effort, will be very hard to beat.

Following the two heats at Hampden Park Stadium, Fearnley hopes he will be among those who line up for the July 31 final.