2005 WORLD ATHLETICS CHAMPIONSHIP FROM HELSINKI: 10,000m fade-out leaves Paula on track for marathon.

Byline: From LEE WEST

MARATHON World record holder Paula Radcliffe admitted yesterday that she is unlikely to ever win a major gold medal on the track.

The Briton, 31, led from the front in Saturday's World Championships 10,000 metres final but was once again passed by a group of Africans and eventually faded to ninth place - 18 seconds behind winner Tirunesh Dibaba.

"I wouldn't say it's totally beyond me," she said. "You never know, but I'm probably moving on.''

Radcliffe, whose best placing at an Olympics or world championships in any event remains the 10,000m silver medal she won at the 1999 Seville world championships, is now preparing for next Sunday's marathon.

Her career was transformed when she stepped up to the marathon in 2002 and she was the overwhelming favourite to win the Olympic title last year.

However, troubled by a stomach complaint, she failed to finish either the marathon or the 10,000m in Athens.

"I'm looking forward to the marathon.'' she said. "I'm feeling very good.''

Last week Radcliffe deliberately played down expectations that she planned to win the double in Helsinki by saying she was concentrating on the marathon and would use the 10,000m as part of her training.

And she revealed she had raced the 10,000m in marathon shoes which had been especially adapted for the track, rather than wearing spikes.

"My main focus was on the marathon so I wasn't going to compromise my marathon training.'' she said.