Marathon News - Radcliffe Out of London Marathon

Apr-3-2006

Radcliffe Out of London Marathon
by David Monti
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

World marathon champion and world record holder, Paula Radcliffe, has withdrawn from the Flora London Marathon scheduled for Sunday, April 23.
The Briton is suffering from a foot injury which also knocked her out of the Commonwealth Games last month.

"I am really disappointed to have to miss this year's event," said Radcliffe through a press release. "The Flora London Marathon is something that is extremely important to me, and I have done everything possible to resolve the problem and get to the start line. I have to accept that the injury needs a short period of total rest and I also have to focus on moving on from this and on my future."

Radcliffe has won London three times, in 2002, 2003 and 2005 and is the event record holder with a sizzling 2:15:25 world record run in 2003.

Naturally, race director David Bedford was disappointed. "After she withdrew from the Commonwealth Games 10,000m, it was always a possibility that Paula would pull out of London. To race when less than fully fit is simply not the Paula we know and could jeopardise her form for some time. We fully understand that this is the right decision and look forward to welcoming Paula back in the future. The Flora London Marathon will still serve up two great races on April 23rd and, if anything, the women's race will be all the more intriguing now."

Bedford also announced that Jon Brown had withdrawn from the men's race, his training set back by a foot injury. He also added Abdelkader El Mouaziz of Morocco, who won London in 1999.