Paula Radcliffe is the fastest woman in the world ever over the marathon. She’s held the world record for the distance since 2003 and has won two London Marathons and two New York Marathons. At the London Marathon in April 2002, her first race at the distance, she finished in 2:18:56 – a women’s-only world best, a European record, and the fastest ever debut over the 26 miles.
On two occasions though, her races haven’t gone to plan and she has been forced to pull out of a race or finish in a disappointing time. Both times were in an Olympic games and both times she has been painted as a quitter or a failure by the British press and internet commentors.
Yesterday, Paula announced her withdrawal from the Olympic marathon squad. In a statement she said: “From the day when it was announced that London had won the bid, taking part and performing well in the London Olympic Games has been a major goal in my life. The goal of a fifth Olympics, in my home country, what better?
“The chance to make amends to myself for bitter disappointments at the previous two Olympics. Through a lot of tough times, it has kept me fighting, motivated and focused. That is why it hurts so much to finally admit to myself that it isn’t going to happen.
“My sport is a beautiful sport, it gives so much fun and enjoyment, I believe helps me to be a better person and I have been very fortunate to experience some great success and have so many beautiful and happy memories. However, the downside is that it can break your heart and spirit many times over when your body is simply unable to match what your heart and brain want it to do.”
It’s a crushing thing for any athlete to have to pull out of a race they’ve worked so hard for – even at an ammature level we feel the frustrations of injury and not being able to compete. But to have worked all your life and for the past four years for a shot at Olympic gold and then having it escape you due to illness or injury is something I can’t imagine.
I hope that internet comments box lurkers will stop writing hateful, ignorant and ill-informed nonsence about Paula. I hope people remember that Paula Radcliffe remains the fastest woman ever over the marathon distance. And I hope they realise that even when she’s not racing Paula a positive role model that has helped inspire this former lazy girl and more people besides, to achieve more than they ever thought possible.
Thank you! My thoughts exactly… I watched the BBC ‘tribute’ to her this morning and it made me so angry. Why focus on those two bad races when she’s got almost two decades of amazing achievements to show for? I’m so gutted for her but to me she’s still the reigning world record holder for the marathon, the one that no one has been able to break in almost ten years! Go Paula! x
Well said. I’m sure she has been training hard for this and it must be devastating to miss out again.
So right. In fact, following Mara Yamauchi’s dropping out of the Olympic marathon due to a bruised heel I have all the more respect for what Paula did. It must have been incredibly hard for her, especially given her past record to let the opportunity to race in London pass but knowing she wasn’t fit, rather than hoping the the best gave first GB girl in Murrey a place to compete she otherwise wouldn’t have had. ALthough I empathise for Mara’s predicament also with that sort of injury she should have realised she wasn’t up to running a marathon, let alone a pb and did the noble thing to let somebody else fill her shoes.