Marilson Gomes dos Santos
BRAZIL
BIRTHDATE:
August 6, 1977
PERSONAL BEST:
2:08:37 (London, 2007)
WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:
22Apr07 Flora London Marathon 8th 2:08:37
05Nov06 ING New York City Marathon, 1st 2:09:58
13Aug05 IAAF World Championships Marathon, Helsinki 10th 2:13:40
10Oct04 The LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 6th 2:08:48
CAREER NOTES:
Dos Santos enjoyed an outstanding year in 2006, beginning with a victory on New Year's Eve at the prestigious São Silvestre Road Race 15-K over Boston Marathon champion Robert K. Cheruiyot by a stunning 56 seconds. He went on to establish new Brazilian records over 5000 (13:19.43) and 10,000 meters (27:48.49) in one three-day span in June. He also won the Ten Miles Garoto in Vitoria, Brazil by more than a minute in 47:39.
A superstar in his sports-mad country, dos Santos finished 10th in the 2005 IAAF World Championships Marathon after sixth-place efforts in Paris and Chicago in 2004.
His upset victory at the 2006 ING New York City Marathon made him the fifth Brazilian to win a World Marathon Major joining Joselido da Silva (Chicago 1991), Jose Cesar de Souza (Chicago 1992), Luiz Antonio dos Santos (Chicago 1993-94) and Ronaldo da Costa (Berlin 1998).
Dos Santos was fourth at the 2007 Lisbon Half-Marathon (1:00:42), his career best time. That set him up for a fine run at the Flora London Marathon where despite warm temperatures he was one the few elite runners to lower his personal best, as he finished in 2:08:37, good for eighth place.
PERSONAL NOTES:
Gomes dos Santos is from Ceilandia, near Brasilia. He discovered his talent for running when he took up the sport at 15, following his 17-year-old brother. After winning a 3000 meters at a regional youth competition in Brasilia, he was recruited by the Sao Paolo based club Atletismo BM&F.
He is married to Juliana Paula de Azevedo, the 2002 World Junior Championships 800 meters bronze medalist and a national 800m and 1500m champion. Olympic marathon bronze medalist Vanderlei de Lima is a fellow club member, and the two occasionally train together.
HIGHLIGHTS:
04Apr04 Paris International Marathon 6th 2:12:22
