Doing Strictly would be my worst nightmare'

Runner-turned-commentator Paula Radcliffe on the runaway success of her sporting career and why the Strictly Come Dancing Glitterball is one trophy she’s happy to forgo

- CHRISTINE SMITH

From smashing world records on the streets of London’s famous marathon to being crowned world champion, Paula Radcliffe is one of Britain’s most successful athletes. Yet, despite winning so many long-distance races, she says for all the career highs and lows – including her infamous roadside toilet stop at the London Marathon 19 years ago – she doesn’t know how she would have done it without the support of her husband Gary Lough.

As the Olympic Games gets underway on Friday (26 July) in Paris, Paula, 50, who has been married to Gary for 23 years, says, “When I look back and think, ‘Would I do my career again?’ – had I not had my family with me for a big bulk of it, it would have made it so much harder. This is because [him being there] made it easy to be doing what I loved doing without having to make a sacrifice and being away from family.”

Gary has been her constant supporter, but Paula confides that the couple, who live in Monaco with their children, Isla, 17, and Raphael, 13, faced their biggest challenge off the track.

Four years ago, Isla was diagnosed with a rare germ cell cancer, leaving them all devastated. Fortunately, there was a good prognosis and, after chemotherapy and surgery, Isla was successfully cured. But today, as she reflects on her daughter’s ordeal, Paula admits it was much more challenging than competing in the Olympics, or indeed, any marathon.