From http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/wales/3637155.stm

Olympic hope for marathon runner

A 36-year-old woman from north Wales could be on her way to the Olympics after being the first British woman to finish the 2004 London marathon.

Tracey Morris, who ran for Wales as a teenager, only took up running seriously again 18 months ago.

The Holyhead-raised runner finished the event on Sunday in a time of 2hrs 33min 51secs.

She is now tipped to be selected for the Olympic marathon squad alongside Paula Radcliffe and Liz Yelling.

Morris is in the running after finishing the marathon in tenth place overall within the Olympic team qualifying time of 2hrs 37mins.

She had decided to enter the event at Christmas, and has only previously run a marathon on one occasion.

Although the runner was a former captain of the Welsh girls' running squad - reportedly at the same time as Colin Jackson was boys' captain - Morris - nee Jones - only took up running seriously again 18 months ago.

She decided to run to get fit, but as she did not want to run on her own at nights, joined the Valley Striders athletics' club in Leeds.

Her only previous attempt at the London marathon was as a fun runner six years ago, when it took her over an hour longer to complete the course than this time round.

"It's like a dream come true," she said.

"I never dreamt this would happen when I lined up on the starting line this morning"

"The (Olympic qualifying) time was at the back of my mind, but I've never raced a marathon before so I didn't know what I was capable of."

In November 2003, she entered a 10km race in Flint, not realising beforehand that it was the Welsh championships - and won the event.

Following that victory, she raced as part of Wales' cross-country team in Cardiff the same month and in a 10km race for Wales in Leeds in December.

"I am just crossing my fingers now and hoping that I get a place in the team for Athens - that would be absolutely amazing," she said.

"I think they are making the decision on Monday."

She is now expected to be selected for the Olympic team alongside Paula Radcliffe and Liz Yelling.

Morris, a former Holyhead High School pupil, left Wales to study to become an optician in Bradford before moving to Leeds, where she has been based since 1990.

Tracey being interviewed on BBC TV

Tracey crossing the finishing line at the London marathon

Tracey crossing the finishing line at the London marathon

Tracey crossing the finishing line at the London marathon