Factfile: Paula Radcliffe

Paula Radcliffe sitting outside. Marathon World Champion and World Record Holder Paula Radcliffe is the captain of the Asthma UK London Marathon Team. Here you can read more about the story of her success and her top tips for achieving your own personal best.
Name:             Paula Jane Radcliffe
Born:              17 December 1973, Northwich, Cheshire
Home Town:     Loughborough
Height:            1.73m
Event:             Long Distance
Club:               Bedford & County AC
Coaches:         Alex & Rosemary Stanton

2005

  • Won the marathon at the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki, in a championship record time of 2:20:57
  • Winner, London Marathon in a World Best time of 2:17:42
  • Named in England's Squad for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne

2004

  • Winner, New York Marathon
  • 2004 BBC Sports Personality of the Year
  • IAAF athlete of the Year
  • Achieved 10,000m Olympic qualifying time in Gateshead, 30:17.15
  • Winner of gold in 5000m European Cup in Bydgoszcz. New British record 14:29.11

Paula Radcliffe, running with Tower Bridge in the background.

2003

  • Winner, Flora London Marathon, recording a new Marathon World Record of 2hrs 15mins 25secs
  • Winner, World Half-Marathon Championships, Portugal (67mins 35secs)
  • Winner, Great North Run Half-Marathon (65mins 40secs), Flora Light 5km and Nike 10km
  • Set new 10km road race World Record (by 8secs) in Puerto Rico

2002

  • BBC Sports Personality of the Year
  • IAAF International Athlete of the Year award
  • 'Outstanding Achievement Award' at Women of the Year
  • Sunday Times 'Female of the Year' award
  • British Athletics Writers 'female Athlete of the Year' award
  • Winner, Chicago Marathon, setting a new Marathon World Record (by nearly a minute and a half) of 2hrs 17mins 18secs
  • Gold Medal, 10,000m European Championships, Munich. New European Record of 30:01.09
  • Gold Medal, 5,000m Commonwealth Games, Manchester. New Commonwealth Record of 14:29.11
  • Winner, World Cross Country title, Dublin

Marathon records

Paula Radcliffe, pictured with the scoreboard showing her record breaking marathon time of 2 hours, 15 mins, 2 seconds. Few will forget Paula's devastating performance in the 2003 London Marathon where she stormed away in a world record time of 2:15:25 - breaking her previous world best by almost two minutes.

Previously Radcliffe had resisted calls for her to move to the marathon distance until she felt the time was right and in 2002 she quickly showed a liking for the distance with a stunning debut in the London Marathon.

Her 2:18:56 victory in 2002 was the second fastest marathon in history, the fastest debut (by four minutes), and more than three minutes faster than the previous record for a women-only marathon. Displaying her usual front-running tactics, she ran a solo second half in 67:52

Her next outing at the distance was even more spectacular, as she broke the world best with a stunning 2:17:18 in Chicago, defeating former record-holder (and current world champion) Catherine Ndereba by two minutes.

London 2002 1st 2:18:56 (UK, European best)
Chicago 2002 1st 2:17:18 (UK, European, Commonwealth, world best)
London 2003 1st 2:15:25 (UK, European, Commonwealth, world best)
New York 2004 1st 2:23:10
London 2005 1st 2:17:42

Other information

Sporting excellence first appeared in the Radcliffe family when great aunt Charlotte Radcliffe won an Olympic swimming medal in 1920. She was part of the British 4x100m freestyle relay team that took silver.

Paula's parents Peter and Pat have been a major influence, and indeed her first experience of the London Marathon was dashing across the capital to watch her father compete in the event many years ago.

Mum Pat has played a big part in the huge success enjoyed by Bedford and County's female squad over the years.

Paula, married to 3:34.76 1500m runner Gary Lough, was awarded the MBE in 2002.


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