Paula Radcliffe capped a golden year yesterday when she ran away with the Sportswoman of the Year title at a glittering lunch in London's Park Lane.

The woman, who won her first track gold in the 5,000 metres on a wondrous night at the Commonwealth Games back in July and then proceeded to sweep all before her on track and road, beat Scottish curler Rhona Martin and three-day eventer Pippa Funnell to the big prize.

It was the start of what is likely to be a hectic award season for Radcliffe, who is the odds-on favourite to pick up the prestigious BBC Sports Personality of the Year award on Sunday night.

''It has been an amazing year for me,'' said Radcliffe, speaking after receiving her Sunday Times award at the Inter-continental Hotel.

''I have worked very hard but for everything to come right as it did was remarkable. Running in front of that Commonwealth crowd in Manchester was one of the highlights of my career. I wish I could take them everywhere with me.''

Radcliffe is still undecided whether to defend her London marathon title next spring although she revealed she will be running at least one marathon next year in preparation for her bid for Olympic gold at the event in the Athens Olympics in 2004.

''I'm definitely still a beginner at the marathon,'' said Radcliffe, despite having smashed the world record in Chicago by 89 seconds this autumn.

''But I feel at home with it. It is a very tough event, but everything at the moment is still very much in the air. It's all about being in the best shape for the Olympics, but my big aim next year is obviously the World Championships in Paris.''

Radcliffe is likely to run the 10,000m at those world championships and a global title on the track would be rich reward for her hard training this past year.

''No-one puts more pressure on themselves than me, but that's how I get the best out of myself. Being one of the favourites makes me perform well.'' Radcliffe's 2002 could hardly have been more hectic or more successful.

In March she retained the IAAF world cross country title in Dublin and in April she won the London marathon at her first attempt at the distance in a European record time of two hours 18 minutes and 56 seconds.

June saw her awarded the MBE followed the next month by that Commonwealth title and then 10,000m gold at the European championships in Munich.

Incredibly the best was still to come, Radcliffe winning the Chicago marathon in 2:17.18 for that elusive world record