PAULA RADCLIFFE returned to marathon running for the first time in a decade after competing at the Tokyo Marathon today.

The 51-year-old last competed over the distance in 2015 and 10 years later she finished the Tokyo women’s race in just under three hours with 2:57:26.

The time was just over 40 minutes short of her former world record time of 2:15:25, which she recorded in April 2003, and after 16 years was eventually beaten by Brigid Kosgei in 2019.

Radcliffe announced in January that she would be competing in Tokyo and the Boston Marathon — the latter of which takes place next month — in order to complete all six marathon majors.

Her impressive career saw her win the London and New York Marathons three times each along with victory in the 2002 Chicago Marathon.

Sunday’s results in Tokyo saw Ethiopia’s Sutume Asefa Kebede defend her women’s title with a time of 2:16:29, while her compatriot Tadese Takele won the men’s event with 2:03:23.