Balazs Koranyi, Reuters reporter

I respect Paula Radcliffe for finishing the Olympic marathon, especially since she was clearly in agonising pain, but I don't understand her decision to race in the first place. The Olympics seem to be an excuse for thinking you can do anything to your body without paying a price. But there is a price and the problem is that athletes pay it once the cameras stop rolling.

During my time as an athlete I had a stress fractured femur, the same injury Radcliffe had to overcome.

It was just horribly painful. It was a long road but I bet Paula will now have an even longer road to get back to full recovery and it's just beginning.

http://blogs.reuters.com/china/2008/08/17/a-long-road-back-for-radcliffe/

(China Daily 08/19/2008 page27)