Paula Radcliffe MBE

Paula Radcliffe MBE is a former British long-distance runner.

Firmly cemented in British sporting royalty and athletics history, Paula’s legacy extends far beyond titles and world records.

Through the early part of the noughties, Paula was, and remains, a global trailblazer for women’s sports.

After graduating from Loughborough University with a first-class degree in modern languages in 1996, she devoted herself full-time to running.

Paula competed at four consecutive Olympic Games from 1996-2008.

Radcliffe held the world record in the marathon for 17 years and won the London Marathon in 2002, 2003 and 2005. In November 2004, she won the New York Marathon in a breath-taking style and in 2005, she took the Gold medal at the World Championships in Helsinki for the same distance.

These achievements make her the most decorated British marathon runner of all time and one of the world’s best.

As well as breaking her first world record in 2002, Paula was awarded an MBE and won the public’s vote for the BBC’s Sports Personality of the Year.

Whilst she continues to enjoy running, Paula now focuses on other areas of sport and her legacy.

As a hallmark of the BBC commentary team, she is a face, name and voice that continues to resonate within the sporting world.

She is a UN Ambassador for Clean Air, a passionate advocate for young women’s access to sports, and she continues to push for fairness in sports as a vital member of the World Athletics Athlete Integrity Unit.

Paula Radcliffe MBE is recognised as one of the finest athletes of the modern era.