Brazilian Fábio Jesus came in third place in the men’s race; The last time a Brazilian won the competition was in 2005, when Marílson Gomes dos Santos won his second title.
The hundredth edition of the International Raceheld this Wednesday morning (31) ended with an exciting ending. Gizachew Museum, from surpassed Kenya’s Jonathan Kipkoech in the final 100 meters and won the men’s race close to the finish line. Brazilian Fábio Jesus was in third place.
Close to 40 minutes of the men’s race, Kipkoech showed clear signs of fatigue, was unable to keep the pace strong and saw Gizachew finish first. The difference between the two was just four seconds: 44min28s versus 44min32s. Fábio Jesus completed the podium in 45min06s.
First place in the women’s race went to Sisilia Ginoka Panga, from Tanzania, who dominated the race from start to finish and took first place, breaking the Kenyan women’s eight-year streak at the top of the podium. The athlete, who completed the course in 51min06s, fainted after the end of the race and had to be carried.
Cynthia Chemweno, from Kenya, came second, with 52min30s and Brazilian Nubia de Oliveira came in third place for the second year in a row, clocking 52min42s. The six best placed men and women will receive prizes. The champions will earn R$62,600.00 each. In total, R$ 295,160.00 in prizes will be distributed, a record amount.
The last time a Brazilian won São Silvestre was in 2005, when Marílson Gomes dos Santos won her second title. In the women’s category, Brazil last won with Lucélia Peres, in 2006. Since then, only athletes from Africa have won the competition.
São Silvestre’s biggest winner is Kenyan Paul Tergat, with five titles (1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000). In the women’s category, Portuguese Rosa Mota leads with six consecutive victories from 1981 to 1986. Despite the arrival of summer and the heat wave that recently affected the country, this year’s race was held in mild weather, with a temperature of 23 degrees.
Around 55,000 runners participated in the traditional 15-kilometer route, which passes through some of the main tourist attractions in São Paulo, such as the Pacaembu Stadium and Praça da República. Both the start and the crossing of the finish line take place on Avenida Paulista, the capital’s most famous postcard.
How did the race come about?
The creator of the São Silvestre race was the journalist Cásper Libero. In 1924 he attended an evening competition in in France, in which athletes walked the route carrying fire torches and decided to implement it in Brazil at the turn of the year. The first race was held at midnight on December 31, 1924. Alfredo Gomes, nicknamed the King of Breath, finished at the front among the 48 entrants, with a time of 23min10s4/100. The route was 8,800 meters. In the first edition, only residents of the city could participate. The test was open to all Brazilians a few years later.
Who was Saint Silvestre?
The name of the race is inspired by Sylvester I, the 33rd pope in the history of Catholicism. Born in in 295, and was pope between 314 and 335. He began his life as pope with the mission of organizing the Catholic Church after the decree of Emperor Constantine, which put an end to the persecution of Christians. Responsible for establishing Sunday as a holy day, he died on December 31, 335, which is why the date became Saint Sylvester’s Day — after his death, he was canonized as a saint by the Church and began to be referred to as Saint Sylvester. Because it is held on the last day of each year, the race was named after him.
*With Estadão Content
