The 2008 edition of the New York Marathon proved to be a significant milestone in the glittering career of British distance running great Paula Radcliffe
Steve Jones is the last male British winner of the New York City Marathon, finishing first in 1988, while Paula Radcliffe completed a hat-trick in the women’s race 20 years later.
A dip into the AW archive shows that November 2, 2008, represents the last time the former world record-holder and world champion would enjoy victory in a major marathon. Having won New York in 2004 and 2007, she made it three victories in emphatic style.
AW Archive 2008
Radcliffe Triumphs in New York Marathon to Silence Doubters
As Jason Henderson wrote in AW at the time: “Charging toward the finish line at the Tavern on the Green on the west side of Central Park, the Briton held a lead of almost two minutes.
“It was remarkable, given the fact that less than three months ago she cut a forlorn figure in Beijing, painfully limping to a disappointing 23rd place in the Olympic marathon.
“Every time Radcliffe comes to the Big Apple, it seems she is biting off more than she can chew. Every time, she proves her doubters wrong and demonstrates that she is still the world’s No.1 woman marathoner.”
Just as she had done four years previously, Radcliffe used New York to bounce back from Olympic disappointment. The race fell just 11 weeks after Beijing, but she was back training just five days after that blow in China and warmed up for New York with a UK 10-mile record in Portsmouth.
AW Archive 2008
In cold, windy conditions as AW reported she: “Carried out a true demolition job on her rivals, with a time of 2:23:56 to boot.”
Radcliffe said: “I knew I was away but did not know I had two minutes. Was I tempted to look back? No. It’s been something that’s been drilled into me from an early age. My dad used to say ‘never look back’ as it’s a sign of weakness.”
However, it wasn’t her last time racing through the city’s streets. In 2009, she competed in the marathon once again, finishing fourth in 2:29:27.
Earlier that year she also took gold in the New York City Half Marathon in 69:45, just two seconds off the course record.
Paula Radcliffe (Getty)
Celebrating 20 Years: Paula Radcliffe’s NYC Marathon Triumphs in the Athletics Weekly Archive
This year’s New York City Marathon took place on November 2. Kenya’s Sheila Chepkirui won the women’s title, finishing in 2:24:35, 39 seconds slower than Radcliffe ran in 2008.
To celebrate the 20th anniversary, you can find our original coverage from all three of Paula Radcliffe’s NYC marathon wins via the Athletics Weekly archive.
From the first ever issue in December 1945 to the present day, current subscribers to our magazine can dip into this resource for free whereas non-subscribers can pay just £3.99 per month for full access.
Paula Radcliffe’s rule as the New York City long-distance race champion finished today as the English world record holder put fourth behind the Ethiopian veteran Deratu Tulu.
Following a half-year uninvolved recuperating from a bunion medical procedure, Radcliffe, 35, was running her most memorable long-distance race since coming out on top in this race a year prior.
She had missed the big showdown long-distance race in Berlin in August and afterward passed on the world half-long distance race titles in Birmingham last month because of tonsillitis.
In blustery circumstances, the Briton had driven from the firearm yet the moderately sluggish speed implied she had been not able to shake off her opponents.
Furthermore, at 23 miles, she was dropped from the main group of four as Russia’s Ludmila Petrova took off followed by Tulu and France’s Christelle Daunay.
Tulu, 37 and a double cross Olympic 10,000 meters champion, first shook off Daunay and afterward, the hounded Petrova as she turned for home at the 26-mile imprint and came out on top in the race in two hours 28 minutes and 52 seconds, eight seconds in front of the Russian with Daunay third in 2:29:16 holding off a late Radcliffe rally, the Briton completing fourth in 2:29:27.
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