Radcliffe in Olympic injury fear

Radcliffe: injury blow

Paula Radcliffe will have to prove her fitness to British selectors as she seeks to win a place in the marathon squad for the Olympics in Beijing.

The Bedford athlete is eager to atone for the disappointment she endured after dropping out of the event in Athens four years ago.

Despite Radcliffe being on crutches because of a hip injury, she was nevertheless named alongside Mara Yamauchi and Liz Yelling in the British team earlier this week.

But after another MRI scan on Wednesday, she discovered the hip problem had been diagnosed as a much more serious stress fracture of her left femur.

After further consultation, specialists told her it would be too soon to run in Beijing.

"They felt it was not possible when I told them the levels of training I needed to do, but I'm not giving up on it," said Radcliffe.

"They are more used to dealing with ordinary people. I will give it every chance."

Now the 34-year-old is returning to her high-altitude training base at Font Romeau in the French Pyrenees this weekend as she seeks to prove medical experts wrong.

"I'm not a medic nor am I an athlete so I don't know who's right," said Niels de Vos, UK Athletics chief executive.

"Clearly it's a hell of a break for her, but she still remains very confident she will be able to compete.

"If she's right and obviously if she can prove her fitness, it will be another astonishing chapter in her story. Fingers crossed, is all I can really say on that."

De Vos stressed any athletes nursing injuries who are selected for the Olympics must undergo fitness tests to prove they are capable of competing to the best of their ability.