Commonwealth Games: England's Paula Radcliffe finally ended her quest for track gold at a major championships with a crushing victory in the 5,000 metres at the Commonwealth Games last night. The 28-year-old who has agonisingly missed out so many times in the past destroyed the field and the Games record. Radcliffe clocked 14 minutes 31.43 seconds to shatter the four-year-old Games mark by one minute 21 seconds.

The Bedford-born runner led from the front as she broke her only threat, Kenya's Edith Masai, with four-and-a-half laps left. Masai finished second in 14:53.76 with countrywoman Iness Chenonges claiming bronze in 15:06.06. Radcliffe's time was just over three seconds outside the world record set by China's Bo Jiang five years ago.

It was only Radcliffe's second appearance on the track since her astonishing London marathon debut having beaten Masai last week when she broke the Commonwealth record in the 3,000 metres in Monaco.

Radcliffe's win sets her up for the 10,000 metres at the Europeans in Munich next month and banishes the bitter memories of last year's World Championships in Canada. Then she had a public spat with husband Gary Lough after he had criticised her tactics in finishing fourth in the 10,000 metres. Radcliffe's relief at ending her hoodoo was apparent afterwards. She said: "It's been hanging round my neck, so it's really nice to get it out of the way."