Paula Radcliffe has finished a disappointing 23rd in the women’s marathon at the Beijing Olympics. Constantina Tomescu won the gold medal in 2:26.44.

She ran with an injury but says she would still like to have another crack at the Olympic marathon. Tomescu is 38, which gives Radcliffe 34, hopes to win gold at the London Olympics with a home crowd.

She told BBC One: “I was trying to achieve the impossible I guess. The amount of running I’ve done coming in wasn’t enough.

“Cardiovascularly I felt comfortable but my legs had gone. My calf went first then it went up the entire leg and it felt like I was running on one leg.

“But I didn’t do all that work for nothing. It’s just really frustrating.

“I was going to the finish line no matter what. I did all the hard work and it feels frustrating because cardiovascularly I don’t feel like I’ve run.

“I tried to to the right things in the race, tried to go after Constantina but my legs weren’t there.

“I didn’t feel sick or in distress, but there was nothing else I could do.”

You can’t take shortcuts in the marathon and I guess I learned that today.

“Fingers crossed for 2012. Look at Constantina - maybe I can do that in 2012 if my body holds up. I know in London I’ll have all that support.

“I don’t think this is redemption for Athens but it would have been for nothing if i hadn’t finished.”

Read more: Paula Radcliffe’s marathon bid ends in tears