London - British long distance queen Paula Radcliffe is confident she will be ready for next year's World Athletics Championships as she prepares for the birth of her first child in January.
The marathon world record holder said she has yet to decide what event she will enter in Japan but is in no doubt that she will have plenty of time to recover full fitness.
The five-months' pregnant 32-year-old competed in the 5 000m Women's Challenge in London on Sunday and finished 23rd with a time of 18 minutes and 51 seconds - the slowest race of her career.
Yet Radcliffe is confident she will be fit for next August's world championships.
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"I know next year I will be straight back into it," Radcliffe told The Sun. "My focus is still the World Championships.
"January to August should be long enough to recover. I don't know the event I will compete in yet - whether it will be the 10 000 metres or the marathon.
"I will take the baby with me. My mum has already booked the time off and will come with us to help out. I'm in for a family jamboree."
Radcliffe said she had no qualms about racing on Sunday while pregnant.
"I took it steadyish," she said. "The competitiveness is still there. But as soon as I see the heart rate going a bit high, I slow down." - Sapa-AFP
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