São Silvestre: Brazil tries to break African hegemony – 12/30/2023 – Sport

In the 98th edition of the São Silvestre International Race through the streets of the capital of São Paulo this Sunday (31), Brazilian athletes will have the challenge of trying to break the hegemony of Africans in the race.

It has been 13 years since the last time a local runner reached the highest place on the podium, when Marílson Gomes dos Santos won for the third time (he also won in 2003 and 2005, being the most successful Brazilian in the race). In the female category, Lucélia Peres, in 2006, was the last runner in the country to win São Silvestre.

Since then, athletes from Africa, especially Kenya, have taken turns among the champions. The Kenyans lead the competition in terms of achievements, with 33 victories, considering the international phase with foreigners, which began in 1945.

Among men, Kenyan Paul Tergat is the biggest winner, five-time champion of São Silvestre (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000). Among women, the record is held by Portuguese Rosa Mota, with six consecutive triumphs between 1981 and 1986 .

Brazil occupied the highest place on the podium on 16 occasions, 11 times in the men’s category and five in the women’s category.

In the 2023 edition, one of the favorites among Brazilians is Bahian Fábio Jesus Correia. Last year, he finished the race in fourth place, guaranteeing the best position for a Brazilian in the race.

Correia’s best results of the year include victory in the Rio de Janeiro International Half Marathon and the Pampulha International Tour. “Brazil has a good chance of fighting for the top spots due to the good form of several athletes,” said the athlete.

Also among local highlights in the competition are Franck Caldeira, champion of São Silvestre in 2006 and gold in the marathon at the Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2007, and Giovani dos Santos, six-time champion of the Volta da Pampulha and winner of the Half Marathon Rio de Janeiro International in 2016.

The Brazilian athletes will have as their biggest opponents names such as Kenyans Vestus Cheboi Chemjor, champion of the São Paulo and Porto Alegre International Marathon in 2023, and Timothy Kiplagat Ronoh, who won the Melbourne and Abu Dahbi marathons last year, in addition to the Ugandan Moses Kibet, winner of the Rio de Janeiro International Half Marathon in 2023.

In the female category, Brazil has the presence of Larissa Quintão, runner-up in the São Paulo International Half Marathon (2023), Kleidiane Barbosa, runner-up in the Volta Internacional da Pampulha (2023), and Mirela Andrade, two-time South American marathon champion (2017 and 2022).

Among the foreigners, the highlights are Kenyans Catherine Reline Amanang’ole, champion of São Silvestre in 2022, and Viola Jelagat Kosgei, champion of the Rio Half Marathon and Volta da Pampulha in 2023, and Ethiopian Yimer Wude, two-time champion (2014 and 2015) and runner-up last year in the traditional street race in São Paulo.

The start of the 15 km race takes place on Avenida Paulista, between Augusta and Frei Caneca streets. Arrival is on the same avenue, in front of the Cásper Líbero Foundation building, organizer of the event.

There will be around 35 thousand competitors covering some of the main tourist attractions in São Paulo, such as the Pacaembu stadium, Avenidas Ipiranga and São João and Praça da República, in addition to the famous and feared climb on Avenida Brigadeiro Luís Antônio.

The start for the wheelchair category takes place at 7:25 am. At 7:40 am, the female elite leaves, and at 8:05 am, the male elite. It will be broadcast on open TV on Globo and Gazeta. The competition provides a total prize pool of approximately R$300,000. The champions receive around R$57,000 each.