Paula Radcliffe (GBR) wins the 10th European Cross Country Championships (© Getty Images)
Britain’s Paula Radcliffe, the World Marathon record holder and twice winner of the World Cross Country Championships long race, has withdrawn from this weekend’s Championships with an injury to her right hamstring.
In a UK Athletics press release Radcliffe said: "I am really disappointed to have to withdraw as training has gone really well and I was looking forward to racing well in Brussels."
Radcliffe who won long-course titles in 2001 and 2002 injured her right hamstring during a training session last Sunday and immediately sought medical advice.
Radcliffe lives in Loughborough and underwent treatment at the local UK Athletics high performance centre in a bid to make Saturday's eight-kilometre race.
The injury was responding well to treatment, but a major problem remained.
"I found it impossible to run uphill and in a cross country race there will always be plenty of them."
"Now it's case of getting back into training. That should be shortly, as it isn't a serious injury," concluded Radcliffe.
