Paula Radcliffe, the world record in the marathon, has withdrawn from the Zevenheuvelenloop (Seven Hills Run) 15K on Sunday, 20 November, organizers announced today.

Gary Lough, Radcliffe's husband and manager, told organizers that after a recent bout of bronchitis she was not prepared for the race that would have been her first serious competition since capturing the world marathon title in Helsinki last August.

"Unfortunately, Paula is not in the best of shape," Lough said. "Even if she is able to train 100 per cent until November 20, she will never reach the fitness level that she wants to have to run a quality race such as the 7 Hills Race.

"Paula's aim for this 15km road race was to run really fast," Lough added, suggesting a world record assault was part of her plans. "But as a result of the bronchitis she has been suffering from, she is not fit enough to do so."

Her withdrawal was a disappointment for organizers of the race, regarded as the fastest 15 kilometer race of the year.

"For this year's edition, the focus of our event was the international women's field, because of Paula's participation," said Henk Stevens, organizer of the event. "To be honest, until now, we did not do any efforts to invite strong international male athletes, to make sure that the women's race would get full attention." A trio of previous winners, Ethiopians Berhane Adere and Mestewat Tuffa, and Kenyan Rose Cheruiyot, are all slated to compete.

"With only 10 days to go we will have to refocus and come up with a solution," Stevens acknowledged. "We will do our utmost to come up with a quality male field as well."

The men's world record, 41:29, was set by Felix Limo on the Nijmegen course in 2001. Last year, Kenyan Lydia Cheromei won the women's race in 47:02, the second fastest women's performance ever. The world record of 46:57 was set by South African Elena Meyer in Cape Town in 1991.