Radcliffe Out Of Olympics Marathona

Paula Radcliffe will not compete in the marathon at the London 2012 Olympics because of a foot injury.

The 38-year-old, who has never won an Olympic medal in four previous Games, was declared unfit after a test run at the weekend.

Radcliffe said: “Through a lot of tough times [competing at London] has kept me fighting, motivated and focused.

“That is why it hurts so much to finally admit to myself that it isn’t going to happen.”

UK Athletics and the British Olympic Association said they will nominate Freya Murray as the replacement for Radcliffe, who is still the women’s world record holder.

The BOA will provide a formal statement confirming Murray’s addition to Team GB if it is approved under the Late Athlete Replacement policy.

Radcliffe has been dogged by doubts about her fitness in the build-up to London 2012, leading to a trip to Germany for specialist treatment earlier in July.

She was rated 50-50 by UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee as recently as last week.

Radcliffe, who has suffered with osteoarthritis in her foot during her career, is a former world champion. But she has missed out on a medal in four Olympic Games appearances between 1996 and 2008, with her best performance coming on the track at the Sydney Games in 2000, when she was fourth in the 10,000m.