IAAF To Let Paula Radcliffe Keep Her World Record
- By Duncan Larkin
- Published Nov. 10, 2011
Her amazing 2:15:25 mark will stand.
Some good news for British runner Paula Radcliffe on Wednesday: The IAAF reversed its stance on how it was to award world records. It previously ruled that since Radcliffe set her world record alongside men (in London eight years ago), it was not a valid mark.
“The record will stay. Nobody will cancel the record of Paula. That is sure,” said IAAF council member Helmut Digel via telephone after an IAAF meeting in Monaco. “Her record will never be diminished.”
After the IAAF changed how women’s world records were to be awarded, it received an enormous volume of protests. Digel noted this surprised the governing body. He said the rule wasn’t to diminish the old records.
“It was not against old records at all,” he said. “We realize that these performances were excellent performances.”
Radcliffe’s time that was set in London is a blazing 2:15:25. It is a mark that is still over a minute faster than the second-best clocking.
For More: ESPN
FILED UNDER: News TAGS: British runners / IAAF ruling / mixed races / pacers / Paula Radcliffe / record certification / women runners / women's races / World Record
Duncan Larkin
Duncan Larkin is the news editor at Competitor.com and a freelance journalist who’s been covering the sport of running for over five years. He’s run 2:32 in the marathon and won the Himalayan 100-Mile Stage Race in 2007. His first running book, RUN SIMPLE, was released last July.