Paula Radcliffe facts for kids
![]() Radcliffe at the 2008 New York City Marathon
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Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Born | 17 December 1973 Davenham, Cheshire, England |
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Residence | Monte Carlo, Monaco | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 8 in | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Weight | 119 lb | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sport | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Country | ![]() ![]() |
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Club | Bedford & County Athletic Club Nike, Beaverton |
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Retired | April 2015 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Achievements and titles | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
World finals | 1993, 3000 m, 7th 1997, 5000 m, 4th 1999, 10,000 m, ![]() 2001, 10,000 m, 4th 2005, 10,000 m, 9th 2005, Marathon, ![]() |
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Olympic finals | 1996, 5000 m, 5th 2000, 10,000 m, 4th 2004, Marathon, DNF 2004, 10,000 m, DNF 2008, Marathon, 23rd |
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Highest world ranking | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal best(s) | 5000 m: 14:29.11 10,000 m: 30:01.09 Half Marathon: 1:05:40 Marathon: 2:15:25 WR |
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Medal record
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Updated on 02-01-2015. |
Paula Jane Radcliffe, MBE (born 17 December 1973) is a British long-distance runner. She is a three-time winner of the London Marathon (2002, 2003, 2005), three-time New York Marathon champion (2004, 2007, 2008), and 2002 Chicago Marathon winner. She is the fastest female marathoner of all time and has held the Women’s World Marathon Record in a time of 2:15:25 since 2003.
Radcliffe is a former world champion in the marathon, half marathon and cross country. She has also been European champion over 10,000 metres and in cross country. On the track, Radcliffe won the 10,000 metres silver medal at the 1999 World Championships and was the 2002 Commonwealth champion at 5000 metres. She represented Great Britain at the Olympics in four consecutive games (1996 to 2008), although she never won an Olympic medal.
Her running has earned her a number of accolades including the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Laureus World Comeback of the Year, IAAF World Athlete of the Year, AIMS World Athlete of the Year (three times) and a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE). She has also been nominated for World Sportswoman of the year on several occasions. In 2010, she was inducted into the England Athletics Hall of Fame.
She ended her competitive running career at the 2015 London Marathon.
Personal life
Paula Radcliffe was born to Peter and Pat Radcliffe. She was born on the 17 December 1973 in Cheshire. Radcliffe is the great-niece of 1920 Olympic Silver medalist Charlotte Radcliffe. Radcliffe has a brother. Martin. He is two years younger than her. Radcliffe's family moved to Oakley, Bedfordshire when she was 11. Radcliffe achieved four A levels at grade A in French, German, Maths and General Studies, while at Sharnbrook Upper School in Sharnbrook, Bedfordshire. Radcliffe had a choice between Loughborough and Cambridge for University. She chose Loughborough. In 1996 she finished her degree a few months early so she could prepare for the Olympic Games.
Radcliffe met her husband Gary Lough at Loughborough University. At University Radcliffe studied French, German and economics. She left university with a first-class honours degree in modern European studies. Lough and Radcliffe married in 2000. They have two children. In 2007 they had their first child, Isla. Their second child, Raphael, was born on 29 September 2010. But had to be resuscitated as he had his Umbilical cord wound round his neck. Radcliffe first said of wanting to start a family in.
In the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honours, Radcliffe was awarded an MBE. In October she was given her MBE saying; "It means a great deal to me, it's a great honour and it really tops off an amazing year. To come here and receive this and to meet the Queen at the end of it just finishes it off perfectly." Radcliffe became the first Britain in 2006 to win the Abebe Bikila Award. At the end of 2010 Radcliffe was voted England Athletics athlete of the decade.
Records | ||
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Preceded by![]() |
Women's Marathon World Record Holder 13 October 2002 – |
Succeeded by Incumbent |
Awards and achievements | ||
Preceded by![]() |
BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2002 |
Succeeded by![]() |
Preceded by![]() |
Women's Track & Field Athlete of the Year 2002 |
Succeeded by![]() |
Sporting positions | ||
Preceded by![]() |
Women's 5,000 m Best Year Performance 2002 |
Succeeded by![]() |
Preceded by![]() ![]() |
Women's Fastest Marathon Race 2002 – 2003 2005 |
Succeeded by![]() ![]() |
Images for kids
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Paula Radcliffe leading the London Marathon in 2005, near to Limehouse in east London.