The 2002 season of top athlete Paula Radcliffe was put in doubt after she slipped on a bathroom floor and strained a tendon in her right leg a few weeks before her attempt on the Women's marathon world record in Chicago in October 2002.
Luckily the injury was not as serious as first thought and following treatment, she went on to capture the Chicago race.
2002 was a staggering year for Paula, she retained her world cross country title and took the Commonwealth 5,000 m and European 10,000 golds. In April she ran her debut marathon in London, her time of two hours, 18 minutes and 55 seconds was the fastest ever by a woman in a women-only field. Then she won the Chicago marathon in world record time and went on to be voted BBC Sports Personality of the Year.
A world record for Paula in Chicago
In support of the Health and Safety Commission's Slips and Trips Priority Programme, Paula said ' Slips and trips are often viewed as funny and inconsequential but the slip accident could have ended my season, fortunately I made a full recovery, I know that many other people are not so lucky'.
