Radcliffe to be robbed of hat-trick chance
Monday, 8 October 2001 07:24Rescheduling of next year's IAAF World Half Marathon Championships is almost certain to deny Paula Radcliffe the chance to match Kenyan Tegla Loroupe by winning a third successive gold medal. Radcliffe, who set European and UK All-Comers records in Bristol yesterday when storming to victory in Bristol in a 66 minutes 47 seconds, is committed to making a successful debut in April's Flora London Marathon.
But the IAAF have moved the date of their half marathon from the autumn to the spring. Brussels will host next year's race in May. That is almost certain to prevent yesterday's runaway winner, who sliced 20 seconds off her previous best, equalling the winning sequence achieved by Loroupe, who first won the half marathon title in 1997.
"All my training is now being geared to London," said Radcliffe after pushing Kenyan Susan Chepkemei, the world's fastest-ever half marathon runner, and Ethiopia's world 10,000 metres silver medallist Berhane Adere into the minor placings in Bristol.
Filed by Sinéad Kissane
