Radcliffe confirms Olympic marathon run

Aug 15, 2008, 11:06 GMT

Beijing (dpa) - Paula Radcliffe will run the Olympic marathon in Beijing on Sunday despite the gruelling conditions in China and an injury-plagued year which hampered the British world record holder's race buildup.

'I'm really glad to have got to this point and now that I have got here I really want to go out there and run as well as I can,' she told the BBC on Friday.

Radcliffe, 34, was diagnosed in May with a stress fracture to her femur, but said after training in Macau that she has got over it.

'My leg has been fine and has handled the biggest amount of running I have done on it so far in Macau and things are good,' she said.

The Briton has rarely run in the past years. She gave birth to a daughter, Isla, in January 2007. She won the New York marathon in her comeback over the distance last autumn but was then plagued by a toe problem.

Radcliffe won her only big title at the 2005 world championships. In Beijing, she aims to make up for the disappointment of flopping in the 10,000m and the marathon at the Athens Olympics in 2004, pulling out in both races.

Radcliffe came to Beijing on Thursday and readily admitted that the ailments allowed her no decent preparation.

'I know it is going to hurt more than any other marathon because I am going in under-prepared. But I have a lot more fight and determination in me because of what I have been through to get to this point,' she said.

'If you aren't on the start line you have no chance of winning a medal and for me it has been about being able to get to the start line healthy and able to give it a shot.

'I would like to have been able to do more training, but I haven't, but I have got here and that puts me in with a chance. The conditions will slow things down and hopefully it will mean a slower race.

Radcliffe said she was determined to make up for her past Olympic misfortune despite the difficult conditions in Beijing.

The weather could work in her favour as it is not as hot and sticky as the previous week in Beijing. Temperatures at the race Sunday starting at 0730 local time (2330 GMT Saturday) are not due to exceed 25 degrees celsius.

'I have a lot of unfinished business with the Olympics. But I also think the Olympics are something more special anyway,' she told the BBC.