Paula Jane Radcliffe MBE (born 17 December 1973) is a British long-distance runner. She is the current women's IAAF world record holder for the marathon with a time of 2:17:42 hours. She also ran the IAAF women's world best time of 2:15:25 hours. She is a three-time winner of the London Marathon, two-time New York Marathon champion, and won the 2002 Chicago Marathon.
Radcliffe is a former world champion for the marathon, half marathon and cross country races. She has also been European champion over 10,000 metres on the track and over the cross country races. On the track, Radcliffe has also won the 10,000 metres silver medal at the 1999 World Athletics Championships and was the 2002 Commonwealth Games gold medalist over 5,000 metres. Radcliffe has won many awards including the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Laureus World Comeback of the Year, IAAF World Athlete of the Year, AIMS World Athlete of the Year (three times) and a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE).
Radcliffe is an asthmatic sufferer who has voiced her opposition to the use of drugs in sport. She is married to her coach, Gary Lough, and has two children. Radcliffe is the great niece of Charlotte Radcliffe, who won an Olympic silver medal in the 1920 Games.