Olympian-turned-pundit Paula Radcliffe has experienced the highest of highs and lowest of lows during her career. From smashing world records to winning the London Marathon three times and now voicing the BBC's commentary for the Paris 2024 Olympics, the 50-year-old has achieved so much. But in 2020, her whole world came crashing down when a doctor broke the news that her daughter Isla, then 13, had a tumour growing on one of her ovaries.
It was a shattering blow for Paula and husband and former coach Gary Lough, who also share their 10-year-old son Raphael. The couple met at Loughborough University and moved to Monaco in 2005, where they have brought up their family. Radcliffe, who is still the British marathon record holder, "burst into tears" when she was told about Isla.
Speaking to the Mirror in 2021, said: "I was given the diagnosis that nobody wants to hear when the doctor said Isla had cancer. The doctor had asked Isla to sit in the waiting room before telling me what it was. I burst into tears but had to stop crying and pull myself together before Isla came back into the room a few minutes later. The doctor then explained the diagnosis to Isla."
A Shocking Diagnosis
Small signs that something might be amiss with Isla's health had begun a few months earlier, when she suffered a pain in her bladder and started bleeding between periods. Paula knew something was wrong so made an appointment with a paediatrician, and after scans at a hospital in nearby Nice, the results came in. Isla had a malignant germ cell tumour.
They are rare and affect roughly one in 200,000 women. "When we were over the initial shock and the medical team had explained everything, having that sporting background helped," Paula said. "We had a treatment plan – like all the training plans I have followed over the years, and it was something we could stick to and see things improving."
Finding Strength in the Face of Adversity
Isla's treatment went well and the 17-year-old is now volunteering alongside her dad at the Olympics. Speaking to OK! recently about her struggle, Paula said the ordeal put life "into perspective". She said: "We were very fortunate as we had a good prognosis, but it really makes you learn how to take everything step by step, trust the process and the amazing doctors."
A Controversial Statement
But while this Olympics is a memorable one for the whole family, commentator Paula has come under criticism after defending Dutch child rapist Steven van de Velde's Olympic selection and wishing him luck. She argued on LBC that the volleyball player, who was imprisoned in 2016 for raping a British 12-year-old, had "served his time", equating his story to that of drug cheats.
"That is a very dangerous line to go down given that we allow people who cheat in sport and take drugs in sport to then come back and compete," Radcliffe said when asked whether Van de Velde should be banned. "As I understand it, he was 19 at the time and he's served his jail time - it's a long time to carry on paying for that mistake for the rest of your life."
Van de Velde, 29, was handed a four-year prison sentence for his actions but served only 12 months. Radcliffe later expressed her regret and wrote on X: "I am mortified that I expressed it so badly and didn't condemn the rape out loud. I do believe in second chances after serving punishment but think the Olympics should be for those who uphold the ideals (that's why I poorly brought the doping comparison in).
"I myself am shocked and disappointed at how I expressed this so badly," she wrote, adding: "I really apologise for the way I phrased this. The utter condemnation of the crime in my head went without saying but I should have clarified that. Instead I poorly jumped to explaining why it would be great to exclude all who betray ideals but legally not possible."
Life Beyond the Track
Away from sport, Radcliffe spends time sight-seeing, baking and exploring the world with her family. She wrote for The Telegraph in 2016: "I've lived in Monte Carlo in Monaco for more than a decade - it is a great place to bring up children. I first visited the city while attending international meets in my early 20s. I love waking up to the beautiful blue of the sea of the Côte d’Azur and yet also being close to the mountains. You have the best of both worlds, an interesting friendly city, with lots to see and do."
Paula Radcliffe's journey reflects the complexities of life - from the triumph of athletic achievement to the heart-wrenching experience of facing a child's illness. Through it all, she has demonstrated resilience, courage, and a commitment to supporting her family. As she navigates the challenges and joys of life, one thing is certain: her story is one of unwavering strength and determination.
