Stories of overcoming challenges mark the 2023 Manaus International Marathon

Manaus (AM) – The Ponta Negra tourist complex, West Zone of the capital of Amazonas, will be the stage for the start of the Manaus International Marathon, which takes place this Sunday (15), with the participation of thousands of local and national athletes and, at least, 20 foreign countries. The event brings together stories of overcoming with each step taken towards the finish line.

“Incredible and challenging experience.” This is how designer Iguatemy Vaz de Albuquerque, 43 years old, defines his debut in the Manaus International Marathon, in 2022, when he competed in the 21 kilometer heat, setting a time of three hours. Motivated, since January this year, he has been preparing himself with targeted training and a lot of determination to face the main race, 42 kilometers, for the first time, in this year’s edition. The designer is part of a group of 160 runners.

“We are coming from a preparation focused on training and specific spreadsheets. It is very difficult training, but it is not impossible to reach the goal. A few days before the marathon, what we trained for has already been resolved and, now, it’s more psychological work, it’s about enjoying the race, this moment and enjoying the entire journey”,

he said.

The 42-kilometer distance is the most anticipated by professional athletes coming from other regions of Brazil and the world in search of challenge and experience. For Iguatemy, who overcame obesity in 2020 after completely changing his life with running, the marathon finish line is another obstacle to be overcome, and encourages more people to attend the sporting event.

“The marathon is already taking place on Sunday and those who are not going to run can go and enjoy the structure, it will be really cool. It is important to support the athletes and, of course, we will have an excellent party”,

added Iguatemy.

Training in the same group as the designer, Maria Candelária Valente, better known as ‘Cande’, will participate, for the first time, in the 5 kilometer marathon, which can be done walking. The goal, according to the 63-year-old runner, is to complete the route within 30 minutes. With the support of her family, she is proof that the race is democratic and has no age.

“I started participating in trails and races for health reasons, and this has improved my life a lot. This year, it’s my marathon debut and I’m really excited. For me, there is no one who is incapable, we are all capable and need to be active people, especially those who are elderly. Let’s do activities, the city hall has several groups in which we can participate and enjoy the best of our lives, which is today”,

declared.

The Manaus International Marathon has routes of 5, 10, 21 and 41 kilometers, which will pass through the main streets of the capital of Amazonas. For all heats, the start and finish will be in Ponta Negra. The sports director at Fundação Manaus Sport (FME), João Paulo Janjão, stated that, in 2022, the event fulfilled all of the organization’s expectations and highlighted the preparations for this year’s edition.

“This is the fourth edition of the Manaus Marathon, last year the city council embraced the event and took it to a scale that no one imagined and, today, it is the ‘Marathon of Brazil’. It’s a marathon in the middle of the Amazon rainforest, in the midst of everything we are experiencing from climate collapse, it still has an extra meaning, because, in 2022, we reached 4 thousand people and, this year, we will double it. So, preparations are in full swing, everything is going according to plan and it’s going to be a great party on Sunday,”

said Janjão.

Considered the biggest street race in the North of Brazil, the Manaus marathon grows every year and has become an opportunity to promote sport and health for the population. The event, according to the director, is yet another city hall tool to encourage sports with a focus on quality of life and overcoming.

“With the support of the city hall, in two, three years, the expectation is to reach 15 thousand people here and this is, without a doubt, a dream for any sportsman. Our mayor also understands that sport is a social tool for changing people’s lives, especially in relation to sedentary lifestyle and illnesses. So, the sport is happening in Manaus. We are working hard so that sport increasingly transforms the lives of the population of Manaus”,

finished.

*With information from consultancy

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