Paula Radcliffe

Paula Radcliffe is a British former long-distance runner who held the women's marathon world record of 2:15:25 for 16 years, from 2003 until Brigid Kosgei broke it in 2019. She won the London Marathon three times, the New York Marathon three times and the 2002 Chicago Marathon, and was the 2005 world champion in the marathon. She was also world champion in the half marathon and cross country, European champion over 10,000 metres, silver medallist over 10,000 metres at the 1999 World Championships, and the 2002 Commonwealth champion at 5000 metres. She represented Great Britain at four Olympic Games between 1996 and 2008 without winning an Olympic medal. She was born in Davenham in Cheshire and studied at Loughborough University.