Paula Radcliffe is confident of being fit for the Beijing Olympics despite her latest injury setback.

The marathon world record holder and Britain's leading hope of an athletics gold medal in China this summer is currently using crutches to ease pressure on a muscle tear in her left hip.

Radcliffe is to undergo a third MRI scan on Wednesday to find out how the injury is progressing and she hopes to be given the all-clear to resume full training within the next fortnight.

Radcliffe started to feel pain in her hip more than two weeks ago but the first scan failed to identify the problem. The second scan revealed a muscle pull.

"Obviously, the Olympics are extremely important to me," said Radcliffe, who missed last month's London marathon because of a toe problem which flared up during altitude training in the United States. "Little setbacks like this only strengthen my resolve to be there in my best shape."

The 34-year-old has won multiple titles on the road and track but has failed to win a medal in three previous Olympics, including 2004 when she pulled out a few miles from the end of the marathon suffering from heat exhaustion.

But her agent said: "Paula is upbeat and positive that by resting now she'll give herself the best chance of being fit for Beijing."