Radcliffe is still favourite for the gold medal in Beijing, insists Kastor

Training day: Paula Radcliffe runs around a local golf club in Beijing preparation for the Olympic Games event in two weeks' time.

'I will try to put my heart and soul into trying to beat her when I'm on the starting line, but she is the pre-race favourite because she is the world-record holder by a substantial margin coming into this race,' said Kastor.

'You keep an eye on all competition and you also know that the Chinese women are going to put on a great show because of the pride they're going to have representing the home country, as well as the three returning medallists from Athens.

'But she's the biggest competitor out there as far as I'm concerned.'

Kastor, 35, was beaten by Mizuki Noguchi and Catherina Ndereba in Athens after Radcliffe pulled out 6km from the end but believes her preparations this time around can help her do even better.

'I definitely plan running a different race this time around because my tactics in Athens only got me a bronze medal and I'm striving for something better this time,' she added.

'So I'm changing my game plan. I need to run a more aggressive race if I want a better outcome, so I plan on doing just that.'

Marathon runners have been expected to be the most troubled of the athletes by
the pollution threat which has shrouded the Games, but Kastor is adamant she has
not experienced any problems at the USA's training camp in Dalian - and believes
it is pointless worrying about the air quality.

'We haven't felt any effects of pollution at all since we've been here and when it comes down to it there's nothing we can really do to prepare for it except stay away from Beijing as long as possible," said the 2006 Flora London Marathon champion.

Kastor, taking a final stock of the challenge she faces to emulate Joan
Benoit's victory for the USA in the inaugural marathon in Los Angeles in 1984,
believes she has done all her homework, including a little about Ethiopia's Gete
Wami, another strong title favourite.

'But I don't count anybody out in these Games,' she insisted. 'People defy the odds they rise to the Olympic challenge and as far as I'm concerned, everyone on that starting line is a threat.'