Radcliffe and Gebrselassie target 2012 Olympic place at Berlin

Radcliffe sets sights on 2012

Paula Radcliffe is hoping a fast time at Sunday's Berlin marathon will secure her place at the 2012 London Olympics.

The British world record holder, 37, is running her first marathon since the birth of her second child in 2009.

She said: "This will probably be my last Olympics and I want to win a gold. The best preparation would be for this [marathon] to be the only one."

Ethiopian great Haile Gebrselassie, who has won the race four times, is also chasing a qualifying time for London.

RADCLIFFE'S MARATHON RECORD

Continue reading the main story

• 2002 - First in London and Chicago
• 2003 - First in London
• 2004 - First in New York, did not finish Athens Olympics
• 2005 - First in London and at World Championships in Helsinki
• 2007 - First in New York
• 2008 - First in New York, 23rd at Beijing Olympics
• 2009 - Fourth in New York

UK Athletics has set a qualifying time of two hours 31 minutes for the 2012 Olympics, a long way outside Radcliffe's best of 2:15.25 which she set at the London marathon in 2003.

But she admitted: "It's been a long time since I ran a marathon, so I have a bit of fear."

Gebrselassie also says the clock will be his priority on the course where he set his world record in 2008, because he feels under pressure to qualify for the Ethiopian team for 2012.

"The time is most important, not the win, because I have to qualify for the next Olympics," said the 38-year-old double Olympic champion at 10,000m.

"It's a big challenge with the youngsters back home. If I don't run a good time they won't let me run in London.

GEBRSELASSIE'S RECORD AT BERLIN MARATHON

Continue reading the main story

• 2006 - 1st in 2:05.56 (fastest time of year)
• 2007 - 1st in 2:04.26 (world record)
• 2008 - 1st in 2:03.59 (world record)
• 2009 - 1st in 2:06.08

"This is the best chance to get a good time."

Gebrselassie set his world record time of 2:03.59 at the third of his four consecutive Berlin victories between 2006 and 2009.

In Gebrselassie's absence last year the Berlin race was won by Patrick Makau with the 11th fastest time in history, and Makau will again be in the field on Sunday.