LONDON (Reuters) - Paula Radcliffe, the marathon world record holder and Britain's chief hope of an athletics gold at the Beijing Olympics, said on Saturday she was confident of being fit for the Games despite a new injury setback.

Radcliffe, who missed last month's London marathon with a toe problem, is currently on crutches to ease pressure on a muscle tear in her hip, revealed by an MRI scan this week.

"Little setbacks like this only strengthen my resolve to be there in my best shape," the Daily Telegraph Web site (www.telegraph.co.uk) quoted her as saying.

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

The 34-year-old has multiple marathon 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.

(Editing by Alan Baldwin)