jo_paveyFebruary 25 - Three-time Olympian Jo Pavey is looking to extend a British winning streak to three consecutive years at the New York City Half-Marathon next month when she makes her first career start in the United States.


Paula Radcliffe started the streak in 2009 with a winning time of 69min 45sec.

Mara Yamauchi continued it last year with a course-record 1:09:25.

Radcliffe has not raced yet this year after the birth of her second child last fall, and Yamauchi is currently injured.

"The tradition of British women at the NYC Half has been so strong," said New York Road Runners President and chief executive Mary Wittenberg.

"Jo has an opportunity to follow in the footsteps of Paula and Mara, and we are very pleased that she'll join us in March."

Pavey, 37, has switched from the track to road in recent years. 

She is the national indoor record-holder at 3,000 metres with a best of 8:31.50 and two miles at 9:32.00, and she is the country's second-fastest performer at 5,000m at 14:39.96, behind Radcliffe.

Her half-marathon personal best of 68:53 makes her fourth all-time among British women behind Radcliffe, Liz McColgan and Yamauchi.

"I'm really excited about the prospect of racing in New York City," said Pavey.

"I'm returning from a four-month period of injury and illness, so now that training has gone well, I'm really keen to get out and race again.

"It's a great lineup and will provide me with a fantastic opportunity to be in a really competitive race."

Pavey had her first child in 2009, and after returning to competition in 2010, she was sidelined with a toe injury.

She will use the New York City Half-Marathon on March 20 as a tune-up for her marathon debut at London in April.

The New York City Half-Marathon, which has a $100,000 (£62,000) prize purse - the largest for any United States half-marathon - has previously announced a strong lineup of USA competitors: Kara Goucher, Ryan Hall, Meb Keflezighi, Abdi Abdirahman, Patrick Smyth, and Serena Burla.

On a course designed to celebrate New York City, the race will take more than 9,000 runners on a loop through Central Park, down Seventh Avenue through Times Square, across 42nd Street, and along the expansive West Side Highway to Battery Park in the heart of the city's financial district, finishing with a view of the Statue of Liberty.