Marilson Gomes Dos Santos Returns to New York Eager for More Success
By Chris Lotsbom
March 17, 2012
(c) Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved
NEW YORK, NY (17-Mar) -- Marilson Gomes dos Santos considers New York
City his home away from home. After all, the 34-year-old is a two-time
champion of the ING New York City Marathon, and has recorded a pair of
top ten finishes at the NYC Half.
"It always brings me good memories," he said here Friday in an interview
with Race Results Weekly through a translator. "The place where I like
to run the most is here." He added with a laugh: "It would be great if
the Olympic Marathon were here."
Tomorrow, Gomes dos Santos will try and give back to the city he loves
so much by racing well, trying to take home a chunk of the $100,000
prize purse set up for this year's NYC Half.
"I like running in Central Park around the lake," he said, the lake
being the famous reservoir. The first 10 km of Sunday's race will travel
around the park's roadway.
At Friday's press conference, Gomes dos Santos noted that he has
prepared extremely well for this race, building up his fitness over the
eleven months since running 2:06:34 at last year's London Marathon,
where he finished fourth.
"I am trying to keep improving my personal times," he said, telling
reporters that he hoped to run around one hour here. Already named to
Brazil's Olympic team, the South American record holder for the
half-marathon has been increasing his volume and the speed in which he
completes his training. Aiming for the medal stand in the Olympic
Marathon, he also said the experience developed since his marathon debut
in 2004 is key.
"I have high expectations," he said. "We are being able to harvest what we sought in the past."
On Sunday, Gomes dos Santos will face another past ING New York City
Marathon winner, Meb Keflezighi of the United States. Keflezighi shares
the same passion for the Big Apple, and recognizes Dos Santos's
accomplishments.
"New York made us. Winning the ING New York City Marathon, the biggest
marathon in the world, is an honor. Like I said earlier, people just
want to visit New York, and to have what we did out there, we won the
New York City Marathon, which is a big honor," said Keflezighi, who will
represent America at the Olympic Games. "And Marilson won it twice!"
On Sunday, both Gomes dos Santos and Keflezighi will go for another New
York City win, this time covering half the distance as the marathon. But
no matter the result, both will have fun competing.
"It's a great feeling, and we don't feel like we have to prove anything
[more]," Keflezighi said. "A lot of people know [who] we are."
* * * * *
Weather for tomorrow's race should be ideal, local forecasters said: sunny skies, cool temperatures and only light winds
|
|
|