Paula Radcliffe retires from road racing after completing Boston Marathon; 51-year-old awarded Six Star Medal after running each of the six world marathon majors; Radcliffe held the women’s marathon world record for 16 years from 2003 with a time of 2:15:25 and is a four-time Olympian

Paula Radcliffe has announced her retirement from road racing after claiming the Six Star Medal for completing each of the six global marathon majors

Paula Radcliffe has announced her retirement from road racing after claiming the Six Star Medal upon completing the Boston Marathon.

The 51-year-old – who held the women’s marathon world record for 16 years from 2003 with a time of 2:15:25 – finished Monday’s race in the States in a time of two hours, 53 minutes and 44 seconds.

Radcliffe, who placed 117th out of 12,447 women that took part, was given the Six Star Medal after completing all six world marathon majors – Tokyo, Boston, London, Berlin, Chicago and New York City.

Writing on Instagram about her retirement, she said: “Wow, thank you Boston.

“My calf went at nine miles and I couldn’t go full out from then on, but on the plus side the foot is great and I got to savour and enjoy those Boston Marathon crowds.

“Pain was so worth it for that Six Star Medal, especially getting from one of my biggest idols in Joanie (1984 Olympic marathon champion Joan Benoit Samuelson). And apart from the calves I feel good afterwards.

“More memories completed and that symmetry from March 1992 WXC (Junior World Cross Country Championships) to today is complete.

“That’s me signing out on the roads now! Lesson learned that my body is done with that.”

Radcliffe is a three-time winner of both the London and New York City marathons and also won Chicago in 2002.

She is a four-time Olympian for Great Britain after appearing across track and road events in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008.