Paula Radcliffe - Flora London Marathon 2005 (© Getty Images)
Paula Radcliffe of Great Britain is expected to seek compensation for the disappointment of Athens in the women’s Marathon on the final day of Helsinki World Championships. Last year Radcliffe failed to finish the Olympic Marathon, but showed her strength of mind by winning the New York Marathon only ten weeks after Athens.
Radcliffe will start the race as favourite as she easily won the London Marathon on 17 April. Radcliffe leads the world list with 2:17:42 and with a margin of over 5 minutes to the second placed Romanian Constantina Dita (2:22:50).
Radcliffe, the protégée of Alex Stanton suffered injuries and stomach troubles right before Athens Olympic Games. The unbearable heat and unsuccessful medication took away the last of her strength, but if everything is in order, Radcliffe will be in a class of her own in Helsinki where the weather is much cooler than in Greece and the course is flat.
Last year Mizuki Noguchi from Japan won the Olympic Marathon and placed second in Paris 2003. Nevertheless the fastest among the Japanese athletes this year has been Mari Ozaki who finished second in Osaka (2:23:59).
Yumiko Hara won the Nagoya Marathon on 13th March with a mark of 2:24:19 just before Megumi Oshima (2:24:25).
In the Osaka Marathon, Latvian Jelena Prokopcuka crossed the finish line first with a new national record 2:22:56.
Deena Kastor, USA, surprised by finishing third in Athens, but she will not be seen on the streets of Helsinki. Team USA will be formed by Jenny Crain, Emily Levan, Turena Johnson-Lane, Jill Boaz and Mary Akor.
Kenyan Catherina Ndereba, the defending World champion, might be the main danger to Radcliffe, if she receives help from other Kenyan athletes Tegla Loroupe, Susan Chepkemei (2:24:00) and Pitrich Omwansa. The Olympic runner-up Ndereba, showed that she is in good form by winning the Boston Marathon with 2:25:13.
Russia has named Alina Ivanova (2:27:42) and Irina Permitina (2:26:51) to race.
This year the fastest among the Chinese marathoners, who always remain a mystery, has been Zhou Chunxiu (2.23.24), the winner of the Seoul Marathon.
Helsinki 2005 media team
