(10,000m)

Paula Radcliffe may best be remembered by the British public as the runner with her own bizarre style.

Radcliffe's painful looking posture, her head and eyes rocking and rolling with every stride, makes her stand out in any race.

But surley she should be known as one of Britain's all-time great female distance runners.

Ten years on from Liz McColgan's epic 10,000m run in Tokyo, Radcliffe will be aiming to emulate the Scot's gold medal performance in Edmonton.

Undoubtedly one of Britain's great female distance runners, Radcliffe's ability was obvious from an early age and in the same year McColgan was writing her name in the history books, the Bedford athlete was winning the first of two world junior titles.

Radcliffe's senior career began with numerous near misses, in the early years at 5000m. At the 95 and 97 World Championships she just missed out on a medal, and it was the same tale at the 98 Europeans and the Atlanta Olympics.

But that run was finally laid to rest in Seville two years ago when a fabulous piece of front running saw her destroy the field – all bar Ethiopian Gete Wami, that is, who pipped her to the title.

The silver medal was just reward for her performance though which also resulted in a new Commonwealth 10000m record.

It also put 28-year-old among the favourites for the 2000 Olympic title, but despite again lowering the British and Commonwealth record, running 30.26.97, she agonisingly finished fourth in Sydney.

It has not just been on the track that Radcliffe has excelled. In fact her greatest successes have come in the World Half Marathon Championships – a title she won in 2000 – and the World Cross Country Championships in Ostend earlier this year when she gained revenge over Wami.

This season on the track, Radcliffe has again looked in top shape. She is the fastest in the world over 10,000m and also set a new British record for 3000m in Rome. But once again it will be how well Radcliffe runs on the day that will decide her World Championship destiny.