OLYMPICS:BRITISH ATHLETICS performance director Dave Collins insisted Paula Radcliffe would be considered for the Olympic marathon only if fully fit but is optimistic the 34-year-old will be able to line up in Beijing on August 17th.

Radcliffe faces a race against time to make her fourth successive Games after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in her left thigh in May.

She has since defied medical predictions that it would be impossible for her to compete by starting to run again a number of weeks ago after returning to her base in the Pyrenees to undergo rehabilitation.

Collins stressed Radcliffe's participation hinged on more than just proving she can complete the gruelling 26-mile, 385-yard course but added he was encouraged by her decision to link-up with the Team GB training camp in Macau tomorrow.

"It's confirmation for me that she's making good progress," he said.

"You'll see in our selection criteria that we're way past the stage of medically checking someone and saying they're not going to damage themselves so let them compete.

"We're actually now looking at competitive form and fitness, which is a standard that is applied across Team GB, to be able to see that someone who turns up is genuinely capable.

"All of these athletes want to do themselves justice.

"The challenge she's taken on is a considerable one and it's important for us to make sure that challenge is progressing not at the expense of her long-term health and also to see how that challenge is progressing in terms of her getting towards good shape to be able to perform.

"I am more optimistic as time goes on. My crystal ball is, unfortunately, not working very well so I'll wait and see where we are but as things positively progress, that's good news."

Radcliffe's glittering career encompasses Commonwealth, European and world titles as well as three London marathons and a stunning victory in New York last November after a 21-month absence due to injury and the birth of her first child.

Olympic glory has, however, continued to elude the marathon world-record holder, and the disappointment was never more acute than four years ago in Athens when she broke down with a leg injury aggravated by a stomach complaint from doses of anti-inflammatories when favourite for marathon gold.

It would be no surprise, therefore, if Radcliffe's fierce desire to erase that memory saw her heart rule her head when the time came to finally make a decision over her fitness.

Collins, however, underlined the final say would come down to a joint decision, though he refused to be drawn on what would happen if the lure of the Olympics proved too strong and she defied medical advice to compete.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," he said.

"It's a team effort. There's a lot of people involved in this, coaches, medics. You sit down and say, 'Where are we? Are you capable of doing yourself justice?' If yes, you've earned the place, take it.

"When you've got athletes who've got a record of past achievement and past performance, they're not going to put themselves on the line if they're not in the shape to perform.

"We've given her the space and the time that I think her performance level deserves; we'll see her get here and again, we'll be watching her progress and see what happens.

"That's what we've been doing all the way through."