Marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe returns to competition this coming weekend. © www.photorun.net

The women’s world record holder for the marathon, Paula Radcliffe, will make her post-maternity comeback at the BUPA Great North Run, a half marathon, in Newcastle on Sunday. The 33-year-old Briton, who ran 2:15:25 hours at London in 2003, has taken a break of 21 months from competition. Radcliffe had previously announced an earlier comeback after the birth of her daughter in January, and had originally intended to line up in the 10,000 meters at the World Championships. But a stress fracture put back her schedule.

Radcliffe has the course record of 65:40 minutes at the Great North Run, set in 2003. This is the fastest women’s time ever for the distance, but the course in the northeast of England has too great a drop for it to be allowed official recognition as a record.

“It was frustrating for me to have to out of action for so long, and especially missing the World Championships, because the 10,000m final seemed to be a much more open race than in previous years. But I had to learn to be patient and wait till my body had fully recovered,” said Radcliffe, whose last race was on New Year’s Eve in Madrid in 2005. Initially a foot injury halted her at the start of 2006, and then came pregnancy. “I really missed competing and I’m looking forward all the more to be able to race again. I think I can produce a good performance again now. I decided on Newcastle because I wanted to begin with a good quality, fast race. I also have happy memories of this race,” Radcliffe explained.

Gete Wami Hunts for Jackpot, Will Run Berlin and New York

Gete Wami is trying to win a $500,000 jackpot from the World Marathon Majors (WMM) with an unprecedented double start at the elite level. The Ethiopian will first seek to defend her title at the real,-Berlin marathon on Sunday. Five weeks later, she will race the ING New York City marathon, the last event of the WMM series for 2006-7.

While her compatriot Haile Gebrselassie has the world record in his sights in Berlin, Wami has a different target: she wants to take the lead in the WMM series. If Wami wins in Berlin, she would take the lead in the WMM series, and be in contention for the $500,000 awarded to each of the women’s and men’s winner of the series. If she were second, she would draw even with the current leader, Jelena Prokopcuka (Latvia), who is preparing for New York. If the two are tied in points after New York, whoever finishes higher there would win the series.

With Japanese Naoko Sakamoto (2:21:51 lifetime best) among those on the start line in Berlin, it’s hardly going to be possible for Wami to conserve energy in this race. Wami won Berlin last year in a personal best of 2:21:34.