Paula Radcliffe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Paula Radcliffe
MBE

Radcliffe at the 2008 New York City Marathon
Personal information
Born	(1973-12-17) 17 December 1973 (age 51) Davenham, Cheshire, England
Height	5 ft 8 in
Weight	119 lb
Spouse(s)	Gary Lough
Sport
Country	Great Britain  England
Club	Bedford & County Athletic Club Nike, Beaverton
Retired	April 2015
Achievements and titles
World finals	1993 3000 m, 7th 1995 5000 m, 5th 1997 5000 m, 4th 1999 10,000 m, 2 Silver 2001 10,000 m, 4th 2005 10,000 m, 9th Marathon, 1 Gold
Olympic finals	1996 5000 m, 5th 2000 10,000 m, 4th 2004 Marathon, DNF 10,000 m, DNF 2008 Marathon, 23rd
Personal best(s)	3000 m: 8:22.20 NR (Monaco 2002) 5000 m: 14:29.11 (Bydgoszcz 2004) 10,000 m: 30:01.09 (Munich 2002) Half marathon: 65:40a NR (South Shields 2003) Marathon: 2:15:25 NR (London 2003)
Medal record Women's athletics Representing  Great Britain World Championships Gold 2005 Helsinki Marathon Silver 1999 Seville 10,000 m World Cross Country Championships Gold 2002 Dublin Long race Gold 2001 Ostend Long race Gold 1992 Boston Junior race Silver 2001 Ostend Short race Silver 1998 Marrakech Long race Silver 1997 Turin Long race Bronze 1999 Belfast Long race World Half Marathon Championships Gold 2003 Vilamoura Individual Gold 2001 Bristol Individual Gold 2000 Veracruz Individual European Championships Gold 2002 Munich 10,000 m European Cross Country Championships Gold 2003 Edinburgh Individual Gold 2003 Edinburgh Team Gold 1998 Ferrara Individual European Cup Gold 2004 Bydgoszcz 5000 m Gold 1999 Paris 5000 m Gold 1998 Saint Petersburg 5000 m Silver 2001 Bremen 5000 m Silver 1998 Saint Petersburg 1500 m Bronze 1997 Munich 3000 m Representing  England Commonwealth Games Gold 2002 Manchester 5000 m

Paula Jane Radcliffe is a famous British long-distance runner who is now retired. She won the London Marathon three times (2002, 2003, 2005). She also won the New York City Marathon three times (2004, 2007, 2008) and the Chicago Marathon in 2002. In 2005, she became the World Champion in the Marathon in Helsinki.

Paula Radcliffe used to hold the world record for the fastest female marathon time. Her amazing time of 2 hours, 15 minutes, and 25 seconds stood for 16 years, from 2003 until 2019. She was also a world champion in half marathon and cross country races. On the track, she won a silver medal in the 10,000 metres at the 1999 World Championships. She also won gold in the 5000 metres at the 2002 Commonwealth Games.

Paula represented Great Britain at the Olympics four times, from 1996 to 2008. Even though she never won an Olympic medal, her running career earned her many awards. These include BBC Sports Personality of the Year and being inducted into the England Athletics Hall of Fame. She officially stopped competing in running after the 2015 London Marathon.

Early Life & Running Start

Paula Radcliffe was born on December 17, 1973, in Davenham, England. When she was young, her family moved to Barnton. She started running at age seven, inspired by her dad, who loved running marathons. She joined a running club called Frodsham Athletic Club.

Later, her family moved to Oakley, Bedfordshire, and Paula joined the Bedford & County Athletics Club. Here, she met a great coach, Alex Stanton, who helped her become a strong runner. Her parents were also involved in the club, with her dad becoming vice-chairman and her mom managing the women's cross-country team.

Paula's first big national race was in 1986 when she was 12. She finished 299th out of about 600 girls. Just one year later, she improved a lot and finished fourth in the same race! She studied French, German, and economics at Loughborough University, where she earned a top degree.

Paula's Running Career Highlights

Paula's father was a keen marathon runner, and she often ran with him and her brother in the woods. She was diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma at 14, but this didn't stop her. At age 10, she watched a famous runner, Ingrid Kristiansen, in the London Marathon, which made her want to become an athlete.

Early Wins & Challenges

In 1992, Paula won the Junior title at the 1992 IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Boston. This was a big achievement, especially after she had a bad asthma attack just weeks before. She then finished fourth in the 3000 metres at the Junior track World Championships.

In 1993, at 19, she finished seventh in the World Championships. She faced a foot injury in 1994 that kept her from racing, but she came back strong. In 1995, she ran one of the fastest 5,000 metres times for a British woman. At the 1996 Olympic Games, she finished fifth in the 5,000 metres.

Becoming a Top Runner

In 1997, Paula won a silver medal at the 1997 IAAF World Cross Country Championships. She also became the first woman to win the Fifth Avenue Mile race twice. In 1998, she won another silver medal at the World Cross Country Championships. She also won her first senior title by taking the European Long course race.

In 1999, Paula earned a bronze medal at the World Cross Country championships. She then set a new British record in the 5,000 metres. At the World Championships, she won a silver medal in the 10,000 metres. She also ran the second fastest half marathon by a British woman in her first race at that distance.

Olympic Dreams & World Titles

At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Paula finished fourth in the 10,000 metres. She was very disappointed to miss out on a medal. However, she soon bounced back, winning her first World title at the 2000 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships in Mexico. She won this title again in 2001 and 2003.

In 2001, Paula won the 2001 IAAF World Cross Country Championships title in Belgium. She defended this title in 2002 in Dublin, winning for the second year in a row.

Marathon World Records

In 2002, Paula decided to try the marathon distance. This was a great choice!

• On April 14, 2002, she won her first London Marathon race. Her time of 2:18:55 was the fastest ever for a women's only race.
• Later that year, on October 13, 2002, she set a new world record at the Chicago Marathon with a time of 2:17:18. She broke the old record by a minute and a half!

For her amazing achievements, she was given the MBE award in 2002. She also won the BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, becoming the first woman in over ten years to receive this honor.

Setting More Records

Paula set her final women's marathon world record at the 2003 London Marathon in April. Her incredible time was 2:15:25. This was an amazing performance!

She also held the world record for the women's road 10k race, which she set in Puerto Rico in 2003 with a time of 30 minutes and 21 seconds. In 2004, she won the New York City Marathon.

Olympic Challenges

Paula was a favorite to win a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Athens. However, she had an injury to her leg just two weeks before the race. She had to stop running during the marathon and later retired from the 10,000 metres race too. She was very upset, saying she had never failed to finish a race before.

Many people in the UK were disappointed, but Paula received a lot of support. She was seen crying after dropping out of the marathon, being comforted by friends.

World Champion in 2005

Paula Radcliffe leading the London Marathon in 2005, near to Limehouse in east London.

In 2005, Paula won the London Marathon again with a time of 2:17:42. This was another world's best time for a women's only race.

On August 14, 2005, at the World Championships in Helsinki, she won Britain's only gold medal. She dominated the marathon race, setting a championship record time of 2:20:57. She said the race went "pretty much according to plan."

Family Life & Comebacks

Paula Radcliffe with daughter Isla at the New York City Marathon, 2007

Paula took a break from running in 2006 due to injuries. In July, she announced she was expecting her first child. Her comeback was delayed in 2007 because of a back injury.

She returned to racing on September 30, 2007, at the BUPA Great North Run. This was her first race in almost two years, and she finished second. She then made a successful return to marathons by winning the New York City Marathon on November 4, 2007.

Paula released her autobiography, Paula: My Story So Far, in 2004.

More Injuries & Beijing Olympics

Paula Radcliffe at mile 14, New York City Marathon 2007

Paula had to pull out of the 2008 London Marathon due to a foot injury. She later found out she had a stress fracture in her hip. Despite these challenges, she got fit enough for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She finished 23rd in the marathon.

She then won the New York City Marathon for the third time in 2008. After this, she faced more injuries, including a fractured toe. She had surgery in March 2009 to remove a bunion, which doctors thought was causing her other injuries.

Paula didn't race for almost 10 months but then won the New York City Half Marathon. However, she later pulled out of the World Championships because she didn't feel fit enough.

Final Races

Radcliffe competing in the 2015 London Marathon, which would be the final race of her career

After a 19-month break, which included the birth of her second child, she returned to racing in 2011. She aimed for an Olympic qualifying time at the 2011 Berlin Marathon, finishing third.

Sadly, Paula had to withdraw from the London 2012 Olympics due to a foot injury. In January 2015, she announced that the 2015 London Marathon would be her final race. She finished the race in 2 hours, 36 minutes, and 55 seconds, ending her amazing career.

Other Achievements & Awards

• She won the BBC London Sports Awards in 2003 for 'Sporting Moment of the Year'.
• Paula has set many records on the track and roads. As of 2009, she held the official world record for 10 km on roads.
• She won the World Half-Marathon championships twice and the World Cross-Country championships twice (in 2001 and 2002).
• In 2003, she became the European Cross-Country champion for the second time, the only woman to do so in the event's history.
• In 2004, Paula and fellow athlete Jonathan Edwards raised £64,000 for charity on an Olympic Special Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? show.
• She won the Laureus World Comeback of the Year award in 2008.
• In 2016, she won the Londoner of the Year award.
• She received an honorary degree from her university, Loughborough University, in 2002.

Fighting for Fair Sport

Paula Radcliffe has always spoken out strongly against athletes using performance-enhancing drugs. She believes in fair play. In 2001, she and a teammate held up a sign saying 'EPO Cheats Out' at a competition to protest against a Russian athlete who had tested positive for a banned substance.

Paula has always pushed for strict rules, suggesting that athletes caught cheating should be banned for four years for a first offense and for life for any future offenses. She believes that catching cheats helps keep sports fair for everyone.

Personal Life

Paula Radcliffe's grandniece, Charlotte Radcliffe, was an Olympic silver medallist in swimming in 1920. Paula met her husband, Gary Lough, who was also a runner, at Loughborough University. They got married in 2001.

They have two children: a daughter named Isla, born in 2007, and a son named Raphael, born in 2010. The family lives in Monte Carlo.

Major Career Achievements

Championships Record

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Result
Representing  Great Britain and  England
1991	World Cross Country Championships	Antwerp, Belgium	15th	Junior cross country (4.435 km)	14:50
1992	World Cross Country Championships	Boston, USA	1st	Junior cross country (4.005 km)	13:30
	World Junior Championships	Seoul, South Korea	4th	3000 m	8:51.78
1993	World Cross Country Championships	Amorebieta, Spain	18th	Cross country (6.35 km)	20:34
	World Championships	Stuttgart, Germany	7th	3000 m	8:40.40
1995	World Cross Country Championships	Durham, England	18th	Cross country (6.47 km)	21:14
	World Championships	Gothenburg, Sweden	5th	5000 m	14:57.02
	IAAF Grand Prix Final	Monaco	4th	3000 m	8:42.55
1996	World Cross Country Championships	Stellenbosch, South Africa	19th	Cross country (6.3 km)	21:13
	Olympic Games	Atlanta, USA	5th	5000 m	15:13.11
	IAAF Grand Prix Final	Milan, Italy	4th	5000 m	14:56.36
1997	World Cross Country Championships	Turin, Italy	2nd	Cross country (6.6 km)	20:55
	European Cup	Munich, Germany	3rd	3000 m	8:52.79
	World Championships	Athens, Greece	4th	5000 m	15:01.74
	IAAF Grand Prix Final	Fukuoka, Japan	3rd	5000 m	15:17.02
1998	World Cross Country Championships	Marrakech, Morocco	2nd	Cross country (8 km)	25:42
	European Cup	St. Petersburg, Russia	1st	5000 m	15:06.87
	European Championships	Budapest, Hungary	5th	10,000 m	31:36.51
1999	World Cross Country Championships	Belfast, Northern Ireland	3rd	Cross country (8.012 km)	28:12
	European Cup	Paris, France	1st	5000 m	14:48.79
	World Championships	Seville, Spain	2nd	10,000 m	30:27.13
	IAAF Grand Prix Final	Munich, Germany	4th	3000 m	8:46.19
2000	World Cross Country Championships	Vilamoura, Portugal	4th	Short Cross Country (4.18 km)	13:01
			5th	Long Cross Country (8.08 km)	26:03
	Olympic Games	Sydney, Australia	4th	10,000 m	30:26.97
2001	World Cross Country Championships	Ostend, Belgium	2nd	Short Cross Country (4.1 km)	14:47
			1st	Long Cross Country (7.7 km)	27:49
	European Cup	Bremen, Germany	2nd	5000 m	14:49.84
	World Championships	Edmonton, Canada	4th	10,000 m	31:50.06
2002	World Cross Country Championships	Dublin, Republic of Ireland	1st	Long Cross Country (7.974 km)	26:55
	Commonwealth Games	Manchester, England	1st	5000 m	14:31.42
	European Championships	Munich, Germany	1st	10,000 m	30:01.09
2004	European Cup	Bydgoszcz, Poland	1st	5000 m	14:29.11
	Olympic Games	Athens, Greece	—	Marathon	DNF
			—	10,000 m	DNF
2005	World Championships	Helsinki, Finland	1st	Marathon	2:20:57
2008	Olympic Games	Beijing, China	23rd	Marathon	2:32:38

Road Races

Personal Best Times

Honours

Commonwealth Honours

Country	Date	Appointment	Post-nominal letters
United Kingdom	2002 Birthday Honours	Member of the Order of the British Empire	MBE

Scholastic Achievements

Location	Date	School	Degree
England	1996	Loughborough University	First-class honours Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Modern European Studies

Location	Date	School	Degree	Gave Commencement Address
England	25 October 2001	De Montfort University	Doctorate	Yes
England	16 December 2002	Loughborough University	Doctor of Technology (D.Tech.)	Yes

Freedom of the City

• 28 June 2004: Charnwood.

See also

In Spanish: Paula Radcliffe para niños