12/31/2023 – 14:24
Kenyan Catherine Reline Amanang Ole, aged 21, was the winner of the 98th edition of the São Silvestre International Race, held this Sunday morning (31) through the streets of the city of São Paulo. She says she didn't start the race with an advantage, but took the lead shortly after the start of the race, on Avenida Pacaembu.
During a press conference, the athlete celebrated the victory and said she was very happy with the achievement, as the race was very difficult. She completed the race in 49 minutes and 54 seconds: “I'm very happy to have managed to come in first place, because the race was very strong.”
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The Angolan naturalized Brazilian Felismina Cavela was the sixth to cross the finish line, with the best place for Brazil in the race. Filismina, who has lived in Brazil for 12 years, covered the 15 kilometer journey in 55 minutes and 04 seconds.
According to her, the race was very difficult and the route was difficult, but the happiness of the achievement is enormous. “I am very happy and I want to thank this country that I adopted as my second country. I love this country and I can only be grateful for all the opportunities that Brazil has given me. I was very proud to represent Brazil,” she said.
In the men's category, first place in the race went to fellow Kenyan Timothy Kiplagat, who completed the race in 44 minutes and 52 seconds. He said that São Silvestre was for him a preparation for the Tokyo marathon, which takes place in March 2024. “This race was a test for this marathon. In the first three kilometers I decided to increase the pace because I knew there was a climb and I was afraid of the other competitors,” he said.
Coming in sixth place, Brazilian Johnatas de Oliveira completed the race in 46 minutes and 33 seconds. His goal was to get on the podium or be among the top finishers. For him, the challenge of the race is always the climb up Brigadeiro Luiz Antônio, before accessing Avenida Paulista.
“All the athletes feel in this stretch that it is a test of fire, overcoming, dedication and putting in all the climbing and specific strength training. Whoever manages to climb well will be among the first placed.”
General platoon
Physical Education teacher Luiz Sérgio Jacinto, 54, started running in 1984 and the following year he participated in his first São Silvestre, at the age of 16. In this Sunday's race he ran with his wife, son, niece and a team of ten people. “In February I will be 40 years of running and I have been an athlete all my life. Running is wonderful, it's life, it's health, it's being able to watch time pass. You get to be 50, 60 years old and not realize it and feel like you’re 20, 30 years old,” he said.
He said he has run all over Brazil, but São Silvestre is different and inexplicable. “There's all this difficulty of not being able to get out in the right place, you can't run because there are too many people, but it's a thrill. And the route is very difficult, a lot of climbing and deciding”.
Vitória Alves, Jacinto's niece, is a flight attendant and is 25 years old. She has been running since she was a child and this year she participated in her first São Silvestre. “I've wanted to come since I was a child, especially watching it on television, seeing my uncle. My expectation is to finish the race and not fall into Brigadeiro,” she said.
Administrator Juliana Araújo, 37 years old, is part of a group of eight friends who came from Espírito Santo to debut in the traditional São Paulo race. “Some here are already racing veterans, others are younger, but this first time is an incredible emotion for us. We wanted to do it like this, dressed up, to honor the event and so that we can also celebrate on the last day of the year,” she said.
Santista, Ana Gomes, came from the coast to run in São Silvestre for the first time, as a birthday present. “I've been running for ten years and I've never been there before because it's complicated to get there. But it was a dream of mine from the heart. I hope to have a lot of fun.”
Ana's friend, the janitor Dantas, said that this is his tenth year in the race. “I do it every year because it’s really delicious, it’s fun. We don't come to make time, we come because we like to run. We see young people, adults, everyone likes it, it’s a hand-picked event.”
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