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IAAF.org: Radcliffe runs fastest Half Marathon ever

Radcliffe’s 65:40 will not be ratified

2003-09-25

Paula Radcliffe continued her excellent run of form as she recorded the fastest female half-marathon in history, taking four seconds off Susan Chepkemei’s 65:44 set in Lisbon in 2001 to win today’s Great North Run in England.

It was the perfect confidence booster for the European 10,000m champion ahead of the IAAF World Half-marathon Championships in Vilamoura, Portugal in two weeks time.

Radcliffe’s 65:40 will not be ratified as a world best due to the drop in elevation of the Tyneside course but that mattered little to her, knowing the course is tougher than Lisbon. She also took delight in leaving a truly world class field almost two minutes behind.

A slightly downhill opening mile of exactly five minutes saw world 10,000m champion Berhane Adere, Olympic 10,000m Derartu Tulu, Chepkemei and defending champion Sonia O’Sullivan in contention, but the latter eased off and ran her own race following a 5:01 second mile.

For full article on iaaf.org - click here

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