Heartache for Paula Radcliffe as foot injuries force her to officially withdraw from Olympic Games

• The runner, 38, has competed in four Olympic Games but has never won a medal
• She announced today that she had 'finally closed the door on that dream'
  
• Her replacement in the women's marathon next Sunday is likely to be Scot Freya Murray 
  

By Daily Mail Reporter

Published: 18:20 EST, 28 July 2012 | Updated: 10:58 EST, 29 July 2012

Paula Radcliffe's hopes of ever winning an Olympic medal evaporated today as she was forced to withdraw from the London 2012 marathon because of injury.

Speculation had been rife the 38-year-old world record-holder would pull out after a foot problem flared up again and today the news was confirmed.

It was the latest - and possibly most frustrating - setback in a long list of Olympic disappointments for Radcliffe, one of the best female distance runners ever who holds the marathon world record but has failed to win a medal in four previous games

In a statement released this afternoon, Radcliffe said: 'However hard today is, finally closing the door on that dream, at least I can know that I truly have tried absolutely everything.' 

Anguish: Paula Radcliffe, right, breaks down and is comforted by Liz Yelling, left, at the end of the Marathon after finishing 23rd at the Beijing Olympics in 2008

'I have been through the mill emotionally and physically the past three weeks, cried more tears than ever, vented more frustration and at the same time calmly tried every direction and avenue available to heal myself,'

Radcliffe said in a statement. "As desperate as I was to be part of the amazing experience of the London Olympics, I don't want to be there below my best.'

The 38-year-old Radcliffe failed to finish the 2004 Athens Olympics marathon and was 23rd in Beijing four years later after deciding to race while still recovering from a stress fracture in her thigh.

She finished fourth in the 10,000 metres in Sydney in 2000 and was fifth in the 5,000 in Atlanta.

She is a three-time winner of the London Marathon, and had hoped for one more big victory in the capital.

'From the day when it was announced that London had won the bid, taking part and performing well in the London Olympic Games has been a major goal in my life,' Radcliffe said.

'The goal of a fifth Olympics in my home country, what better? The chance to make amends to myself for bitter disappointments at the previous two Olympics.'

She said the joint in her injured foot is 'degenerative and badly damaged' but not the end of her career.

'I don't believe now that it can't recover and be carefully managed to allow me to still do what I love to do,' she said. 'Unfortunately though, that isn't going to happen in one week.'

'However hard today is, finally closing the door on that dream, at least I can know that I truly have tried absolutely everything. Not one day was wasted in getting treatment, scans or interventions that might help,' she said.

'I cross trained as hard as I could whenever I was unable to run to give myself every chance should the pain settle.'

A statement on the UK Athletics website read: 'The British Olympic Association and UK Athletics announced this afternoon that marathon athlete Paula Radcliffe is being withdrawn from Team GB due to medical reasons.

'Radcliffe has been suffering with a foot problem and after a fitness test on Sunday it was concluded that she would not be able to race competitively to the best of her abilities.'

Radcliffe has been struggling for fitness since  a degenerative foot injury flared up three weeks ago and now her battle is over.

Sources close to Radcliffe had speculated last night that she would make the heart-breaking decision today.

Speaking yesterday, one said: ‘The time to make a decision has arrived and there’s only one decision to make,’ said the source. ‘Paula is not fit to run at the moment. There will be an announcement shortly.’

Radcliffe recently flew to Munich to seek help from renowned sports doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt for osteoarthritis in her left foot in a desperate bid to get fit for the Games.

World class: Paula Radcliffe has won both the London and New York marathons three times

The possibility of her withdrawal was floated as far back as April by Radcliffe’s lifelong friend and former Team GB marathon colleague Liz Yelling.

‘If she’s injured she won’t put herself through that [an Olympic marathon] again,’ said Yelling in the build-up to the London Marathon.

Pulling out of what would be her fifth Games will be agony for Radcliffe who, despite winning both the London and New York marathons three times and Golds at the European and World Championships, has yet to  win an Olympic medal.

The closest she has come was when she finished fourth in the 10,000m in Sydney in 2000.

Four years later in Athens her race fell apart through stomach cramps brought on by anti-inflammatory drugs she had taken for a leg injury. Radcliffe pulled out four miles from the finish and burst into tears.

She was dogged by a stress-fracture to her leg four years ago in Beijing and trailed home in 23rd place.

However, her withdrawal is likely to be good news for Freya Murray. The Edinburgh runner narrowly failed to make the GB team despite a brilliant debut at the London Marathon, but Radcliffe's foot injury has freed up a place.

UK Athletics and the British Olympic Association plan to nominate Murray as a late replacement, but approval will be required from the International Olympic Committee and IAAF