Paula Radcliffe’s chances of competing in the Olympic Games are looking more positive after it was confirmed she will fly to the British team’s holding camp in Macau on Sunday with several of the other team members.

The British Olympic Association (BOA) have promised to give the marathon runner as much time as possible to recover from a stress fracture of the femur which occurred just over two months ago. When she first suffered the injury, Radcliffe was told by medical experts it would be impossible to compete in Beijing but it appears that ignoring their advice has worked in the 34-year-old’s favour.

“I’m very glad Paula’s flying out on Sunday and I’m sure she will have been maintaining her professionalism in training,” said Dave Collins, the UK Athletics performance director.

Radcliffe began her bid for fitness by cross-training in the gymnasium and swimming pool before gradually returning to running, although there have been no reports of how many miles she has clocked up in training.

Four years ago, Radcliffe dropped out of the Olympic marathon and later the 10,000 metres final and she is determined to atone for those disappointments. She won the 2005 World Championship marathon and both the London and the New York marathons on two occasions. Until her latest setback she was favourite for the gold medal in China.

Despite Radcliffe’s huge commitment in the last few weeks at her French Pyrenees base in Font Romeu, her state of fitness is still not known and her training team are unlikely to reveal it.

The main advantage of being with the squad in Macau will be the opportunity to use the outstanding medical facilities. She will have expert advice and treatment available around the clock before flying from Macau to Beijing, probably two days before the marathon takes place on August 17.