Marilson Gomes dos Santos
BRAZIL
BIRTHDATE:
August 6, 1977
PERSONAL BEST:
2:08:37 (London, 2007)
WORLD MARATHON MAJOR HIGHLIGHTS:
02Nov08 ING New York City Marathon 1st 2:08:43
24Aug08 Olympic Games Marathon DNF
04Nov07 ING New York City Marathon 8th 2:13:37
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
ADDITIONAL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
04Apr04 Paris International Marathon 6th 2:12:22
CAREER NOTES:
Dos Santos enjoyed a breakout 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.
He then went on to score his biggest victory with an upset at the 2006 ING New York City Marathon. That 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, clocking 2:08:37, good for eighth place. His final preparation for the defense of his ING New York City marathon title was a South American record 59:33 half-marathon at the World Road Running Championships, but he could only manage an eighth place at New York.
During the summer of 2007 Dos Santos had another breakout 10,000 meters when he lowered his South American record to 27:28.12 at Neerpelt. He was also the silver medalist in the 10,000 and bronze medalist in the 5000 at the Pan American Games.
Dos Santos returned to New York in May, 2008 where he was second at the Healthy Kidney 10-K. He dropped out of the Olympic marathon after passing 30-K in 1:44:30, but then came back in November to win his second ING New York City Marathon.
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.
