Radcliffe Didn’t Reach Podium in New York City Marathon: Results 2009

Former two-time defending champion Paula Radcliffe was unlucky not to reach the podium in the New York Marathon due to tendinitis in the back of her knee, suffered a few weeks prior to the race.

An MRI scan two weeks before the event showed no tear, but Radcliff was only able to go 11 miles before it started playing up as she crossed the Queensboro Bridge into Manhattan. “Just hang in there … just try to stay with them,” she told urged herself as she tried to continue.

At the 15 mile mark, Radcliff was overtaken, but then regained her lead a mile later. But as she approached the 20 mile mark, her hurting knee came too much to bare and was overtaken by her 3 competitors, to which eventual winner Derartu Tulu was encouraging her to carry on by saying; “Come on, come on”.

Radcliff still managed to come 4th with a time of 2:29:27, after Ethiopian Derartu Tulu, who was the eventual winner with a time of 2:28:52, Ludmila Petrova of Russia came 2nd and Christelle Daunay of France came 3rd.