keywords: marathoner radcliffe ramaala fastest paula
text: Radcliffe, Ramaala prove themselves NEW YORK -- This was all about Athens, about redemption for one and validation for the other. Britain's Paula Radcliffe, the fastest female marathoner in history, failed to finish either of her Olympic races last summer. South Africa's Hendrik Ramaala was a five-ringed dropout, too, reinforcing his reputation as a man who could go only half the distance.