This time, she's a Ginger Medal Winner

Well, all things considered, and certainly after the way it ended in Athens, that was a superb effort from Paula. Commentators said that this was redemption of a kind after Athens. She has said that people remembering her for stopping at Athens, while annoying her, provided motivation for today. She's in floods of tears at the finish, she was running on one leg, and it would have been quicker for her to jog back than stop, she said. Keeping her fingers crossed for 2012 when she will be the same age as today's winner - and she still has unfinished business with the Olympics. She doesn't feel redeemed though.

"I was trying to achieve the impossible because the amount of running I had done wasn’t enough. You can't take short-cuts in the marathon. It's not the end. We still keep fingers crossed for 2012. Maybe the Olympics won't happen for me but how old is Constantina? Maybe my body will hold out. I know in London I will have all that support."

You will certainly have my support after today.

But wait - it's double ginger - Yelling finished, and managed to give Paula a hug before being stretchered away with a suspected cracked rib, following a fall early on. THAT is how tough these marathon runners are. Turns out it was only bruised, but still. Our running wounded - it's enough to make you feel a bit dusty.

Our other entrant, the Japan based Mara Yamauci, did very well to finish 6th, best EVAH for a British woman - though they certainly let the winner get too far ahead and didn't chase her down very effectively, according to Cram and Mista Foster.

Back in the pool, the young individual medley girls team finish 4th, breaking 2 European records in the process - and are gutted, and in tears. That's the right attitude, says Shazza. Certainly bodes well for London, with the oldest only 21. Boys finish 6th.

Oh, and Phelpsy does it! 8 golds in 8 days, 7 in WR time. Sadly for him, Michael Johnson's view is that, after the Lightening Bolt yesterday, it will be a case of Michael Who? I hope he gets the recognition he deserves, because it was a legendary effort, even if the whole "Greatest Olympian" debate is utterly facile.