Radcliffe Still Optimistic For Olympics
She’s still recovering from a stress fracture to her left thigh, but Paula Radcliffe is determined to make the Olympics, despite medical advice claiming the injury would make it impossible for her to achieve full fitness in time.
UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins is also hopeful Radcliffe will recover in time for August’s Olympic Games in Beijing:
All the reports I am getting is that she is on schedule
Keen to shake off the injury, Radcliffe has returned to her training base at Font Romeu in the French Pyrenees in a bid to make a fourth successive Olympic appearance, with Collins closely monitoring the situation from afar. He added:
It’s a significant injury and certainly she’s been very committed and worked well.
She’s in the pool and cross training but not actually running. As you would expect from an athlete committed to putting herself on the start line, we will give her all the help we can.
Collins suggested they wait until July 20th (when the final Great Britain team is announced) before making a decision on Radcliffe.
Good luck Paula!
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June 21st, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I do hope so! Paula radcliffe is my inspiration!
Yes, I know I am a 300 lb lard bucket but I also dream of running the London Marathon — probably 2 or 3 times slower than Paula, but it’s still my dream!
July 15th, 2008 at 6:06 am
Hi Goodbyetoallfat,
Paula is also my inspiration, she’s a hero and if anyone can make the Olympic Marathon against all the odds, she can. I hope that her commitment is rewarded and that she goes to Beijing and shows all her doubters what’s what. On saying that, I hope her judgement isn’t clouded by wanting to lay her Athens ghosts and that she really is fully fit and healthy on the start line. Paula, if injury-free and fully fit, is one of our best medal hopes for the Games and I hope she gets her chance of Gold.
I felt exactly like you once and thought I could never run the London Marathon but have now run 8 - slowly but I’ve got the medals to prove it. I know it’s a cliche but really “if I can, anyone can”. So … don’t give up if it’s your dream. Get into training, adding a little bit of mileage at a time, walking if you need to and before you know it the miles will build up and so will your confidence. Go for it …. have faith ….. and good luck to both you and Paula. x