Paula celebrates race triumph

Paula Craig came third in the women's wheelchair marathon in a time of two hours, six minutes, 55 seconds, behind Tanni Grey-Thompson and winner F. Porcellato. Main race winner Paula Radcliffe crossed the finishing line in two hours 15 minutes 25 seconds. Paula Craig's success comes less than two years after a road accident left her paralysed from the waist down. Paula was knocked from her bike while training for a triathlon in May 2001. Having run the London Marathon six times, she had decided to broaden her range and was one week away from the Bournemouth Triathlon when her life changed forever. "I was just mad that I was going to miss the race - even though I knew straight away that I was paralysed." said Paula. As she lay recuperating, she was visited by a succession of 'sporty and optimistic' friends who strengthened her determination to continue with athletics. Born and brought up in Fishguard, Paula did not become interested in running until she had left home for London and joined the police, where she is now detective sergeant in the Hendon serious crime squad. Having started running at 24 to lose weight, she ran her first marathon aged 31. Within a year of the accident, Paula completed the 2002 London Marathon in two hours 48 minutes. Six weeks later, she returned to Pembrokeshire to complete her first triathlon - in her home town of Fishguard. This year, as well as knocking 42 minutes off her time, Paula has raised money for Aspire, a charity which integrates people with spinal injuries and helped her in the months after her accident. Thinking of the triathlon world championships in New Zealand, the Berlin Marathon, the Great North Run, Great South Run and many more races left to tackle, Paula said: "It feels like I'll be racing from now 'till October."

Caption

Detective sergeant Paula Craig pictured with her London Marathon medal and trophy . PICTURE: Western Telegraph (WTNO616H03).