PAULA Radcliffe put paid to rumours she was past her best by running into the record books yet again at the weekend.
The 31-year-old former Northwich long distance athlete won the London Marathon in two hours, 17 minutes and 42 seconds to record the fastest time in a women's only race - despite having to stop for an unscheduled toilet break.
Paula's 10-second rest at the 22-mile mark brought memories of the Athens Olympics marathon race flooding back, when onlookers watched in disbelief as the athlete tearfully dropped out owing to a glycogen shortage.
Paula said: "I wasn't worried about it in terms of a repeat from Athens. I knew if I stopped I would be able to get rid of the cramp and concentrate properly again."
Paula led the race after seven miles and went on to win her third London marathon and fifth international title ahead of second-place Constantina Tomescu-Dita of Romania and third-place Susan Chepkemei of Kenya.
She will now resume training for the World Athletics Championships in Helsinki in August.
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