Paula Radcliffe, chasing a third London marathon title, says she has became a stronger person after her terrible experience at the 2004 Athens Games.
Radcliffe, who failed to complete the Olympic marathon and the 10,000m last August, said: "Athens made me a stronger person and it made me care less about criticism"
"In the past I wanted to please everyone, but now I am going to listen even more to the people around me."
She didn't care about criticism made at the weekend by Liz McColgan, who felt Radcliffe should have rested and let her body recover after her failure in Athens.
"Liz is someone I look up to but she hasn't spoken to me since last year and if she really cared for me, I'm sure she would have contacted me."
Instead Radcliffe won the New York City marathon just 11 weeks after Athens.
"In New York I wasn't in my best state but I did know I was good enough to win the race."
Radcliffe insisted her only goal in Sunday's race would be winning a third title and not chasing world records.
However, Radcliffe has not ruled out in the future chasing her "final" world record time and questioned sayings that marathon runners have the ability in their career to produce only four or five world-class times.
"I don't think that ——although I can't put a number on it," said. Radcliffe. "That changes from person to person."
Radcliffe is sure she can better her winning London 2003 performance at some point in the future. Following a successful three-month training period in the United States, the 31-year-old will chase a third title on Sunday after her first victory in 2002 and again 12 months later.
Radcliffe clocked a time of 2:18:56 in her first 42.2-kilometre race three years ago.
Afterwards she set a "mixed course" mark of 2:17:18 five months later in Chicago before lowering that to a time of 2:15:25 in the 2003 London event.
小题1:Radcliffe’s failure in Athens made her___________.

A．develop respect for Liz	B．love people around her more
C．rest for five months	D．face criticism calmly

小题2:Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Radcliffe broke the world record in the New York City marathon.

B．Radcliffe didn’t fully recover before the New York City marathon.

C．Radcliffe won her first marathon title in the New York City marathon.

D．Radcliffe had a 3-month training before the New York City marathon.

小题3: By saying “I can’t put a number on it,” Radcliffe means she’s not sure ___________.

A．if she has the ability to set a new world record

B．if she can win another race though she has won many times

C．how many times a marathon runner can set the world record

D．if she has the ability to produce four or five world-class times

小题4: According to the text, Radcliffe has won ___________ London marathon title(s).

A．one

B．two

C．three

D．four

小题5:What can we learn from Radcliffe’s story?

A．Practice makes perfect.	B．Well begun is half done.
C．Where there is a will, there is a way.	D．A friend in need is a fried indeed.