Athletics: Radcliffe in Euro class of her own

MUNICH - Just days after coming a few seconds short of breaking the world record over 5000m at the Commonwealth Games, Britain's Paula Radcliffe set a European 10,000m record yesterday.

In pouring rain and cold temperatures, the world cross-country and former world half-marathon champion shattered the 10,000m field on the opening day of the 18th European championships.

Radcliffe, who constantly states that she does not like to set any limits for herself, stopped the clock at 30m 01.09s, destroying Ingrid Kristiansen's mark of 30m 13.74s.

"My aim was to win the title, not to set a fast time," Radcliffe said afterwards.

"Ingrid Kristiansen is a person I look up to and it means a lot for me to break her record."

However, with journalists still searching for superlatives by which to rate her breathtaking performance, Radcliffe admitted she would have also enjoyed breaking the 30-minute barrier.

She was on European record pace after 1200m, and said that her marathon preparation had helped her to improve mentally this season.

She has not decided whether to run the 5000m.

"My next objective is to run the Chicago marathon. I will see how I recover before I make up my mind for the 5000m."

Ireland's Sonia O'Sullivan, second with an Irish record of 30m 47.59s, was the first to pay tribute to Radcliffe's exploit.

"It shows what people can do when they train hard."

Radcliffe's time was the second best recorded. The world record, 29m 31.76s, was set by a Chinese runner, Jun Xia Wang, in Bejing in September 1993.

While England are still looking for a competitive men's middle-distance runner, they are far from having these difficulties in the sprint events.

If some were still wondering whether Dwain Chambers had recovered from the Commonwealth Games, where he suffered cramps in the 100m final, the British sprinter must have reassured them. He jogged through the first round of the 100m in 10.23s before clocking 10.08s in the second round.

The main challenge could come from his team-mates Darren Campbell, winner of his heat in 10.29s, and Jason Gardener, second in the first heat in 10.28s.

- AGENCIES