 Noguchi won gold after Paula Radcliffe withdrew from the marathon in Athens |
Olympic marathon champion Mizuki Noguchi will not defend her title after failing to recover from injury. The Japanese runner injured her left thigh while training at altitude in the Swiss resort of St Moritz. The 30-year-old cut short her training camp on Monday to return home for tests but will now not travel to Beijing. The news will come as a lift to British hope Paula Radcliffe, who has been battling an injury of her own to take part in Sunday's race. A statement from the Japanese team read: "Mizuki's recovery from the injury has been unsatisfactory and it is impossible for her to take part in the Games."  | 606: DEBATE |
Noguchi had been hoping to retain the crown she won in Athens and make it three in a row for Japan, for whom Naoko Takahashi triumphed in Sydney 2000. World record holder Radcliffe, two-time world champion Catherine Ndereba and China's Zhou Chunxiu are expected to be the favourites for Sunday's race.
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