Radcliffe run 'a coup' for North-East

Radcliffe will contest her first track race on British soil for nearly two years when running the 10,000m in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix at Gateshead on June 27.

The 30-year old, who smashed the world marathon record in London last year, is currently preparing for this summer's Olympic Games at her French Pyrenees training base of Font Romeau.

She is yet to decide whether to compete on the road or the track in Athens, but will use next month's race as the perfect chance to achieve the Olympic 10,000m qualifying time of 31 minutes 45 seconds.

Pascoe now works for the company organising the Gateshead meet and, with Radcliffe a confirmed runner, the event looks certain to be a sell out.

"It's a huge coup for us because Paula is probably the leading female sportswoman in the world at the moment," said the 400m hurdler, who won a silver medal in the 1972 Olympics.

"If she runs the 10,000m in Athens this will almost certainly be the only race she runs before that, and if she chooses the marathon this will be the only 10,000m race she runs all year.

"Because of her meticulously planned schedule, British fans don't get the chance to see Paula in action a lot. She hasn't run a track race on British soil since she won the Commonwealth Games 5,000m final in 2002.

"But she'll be in action at Gateshead and that will give all athletics fans the chance to appreciate just how special an athlete she is."

Radcliffe's appearance will turn the clock back to the golden period of North-Eastern distance running when the likes of Steve Cram and Brendan Foster were ruling the roost on the world stage.

"The North East has a golden reputation for distance running," said Pascoe. "That reputation will have undoubtedly played a part in Paula's decision making."

Radcliffe, now recovered from a hernia operation, added: "I'm back in full training and happy with how things are going.

''My focus is on Athens and everything I do is part of the overall preparations for that."