Another win as Radcliffe gets achievement award

A memorable weekend was capped for record-breaking runner Paula Radcliffe today when she was awarded the prestigious Women of the Year Outstanding Achievement Award.

Fresh from smashing the world marathon record in Chicago on Sunday, Radcliffe was honoured at the 47th annual Women of the Year lunch in recognition of her consistent success this year.

The Chicago race forced the reigning London Marathon champion to miss the ceremony at London’s Savoy Hotel, where celebrities and the great and good were among hundreds of women being honoured for their achievements.

In a speech to the audience, Radcliffe – who this year has also won the World Cross Country title, 10,000m gold at the European Championships and 5,000m gold at the Commonwealth Games – put her selection for the award down to her commitment in recent years.

“However much talent you have you won’t achieve things unless you are prepared to put in hard work, the commitment and the dedication,” she said.

Radcliffe, a high-profile campaigner against drugs in sport, added: “All I have ever wanted to do was run and that has given me the will to succeed.”

Three other winners of special achievement awards – theatre producer Judy Cramer, leprosy campaigner Leah Pattison and Amnesty International secretary general Irene Khan – joined over 400 women at the lunch.

All those present won an invitation for “distinguishing themselves either by courage, artistic, academic or professional achievement”.

Amnesty’s Irene Khan received the Pilkington Window to the World Award, for those who “raise awareness of the world around us”.

She dedicated her award to “all the women who have fought and struggled to make sure that all human beings on earth enjoy their human rights”.

Durham woman Leah Pattison, who contracted leprosy while travelling in Asia four years ago, received the Frink Award in recognition of her achievement against the odds.

The 29-year-old has dedicated her life to highlighting the plight of women in India afflicted by the disease.

Judy Craymer received the Barbour Award for the success she has made of musical Mamma Mia.

The show, which nearly cost Craymer her house and her job before its opening in 1999, has been seen by over 5.5 million people in the US, UK and Australia.

The Women of the Year Lunch and Assembly was founded in 1955 to enable women from all walks of life to ‘unite and celebrate their achievements’.

Sky TV presenter Kirsty Gallacher, Coronation Street actress Liz Dawn, who plays Vera Duckworth, GMTV’s Lorraine Kelly and Captain Pip Tattersall – the first woman to be awarded the Royal Marines Green Beret – were among the 400 being recognised.