5,000 runners in Viana do Castelo for 26th Half Marathon that pays tribute to “queen” Manuela Machado

On January 19th, the JSC 26th Manuela Machado Half Marathon – Viana Fica no Coração and the 24th Viana Fica no Coração Walk will take place, events to promote sports practice that will feature the participation of around 5 thousand athletes, including federated and non-federated athletes. federated, amateur or professional, and who also intend to pay tribute to the Viana athlete Manuela Machado, world marathon champion in 1995, at the World Championships, in Gothenburg.

At the press conference to present the event, the Mayor of Viana do Castelo, Luís Nobre, stated that Manuela Machado “is a reference, an inspiration, a true queen of athletics”, encouraging everyone, particularly school children vianenses, to practice sports (through the municipal project “Athletics in Schools”).

As usual, the main event covers an official distance of 21,095 meters, in accordance with the rules of the Portuguese Athletics Federation (FPA). At the same time, the 24th Viana Fica no Coração Walk will take place with a charitable purpose. The walk will be a 5-kilometer route, on a flat course, as an invitation to families and solidarity, since all registration fees will be donated to the Food Bank Against Hunger in Viana do Castelo.

Organized by Cyclones Atlético Clube and supported by the City of Viana do Castelo, the two races will start at Praça Marques Júnior, next to the Viana do Castelo Cultural Center, at 10:30 am on Sunday, January 19.

Mentor and athlete Manuela Machado confirmed that the race has seen “enormous growth” in recent years, stating that this 26th edition will be “the biggest half-marathon of all time”. “People have been running, road races have grown a lot. On January 19th it will be one of the biggest sports festivals in Viana do Castelo”, said the athlete from Cardielos.

“We will reach 5 thousand people, between half marathon and walk. The walk, every year, has around 600 or 700 participants, so we always expect a greater number than that”, he said.

Manuela Machado said that the Princess City of Lima “will fill up again”, highlighting around 900 registered Spaniards, also realizing the high number of Brazilians and French, among many other nationalities.

The Councillor for Sports, Ricardo Rego, has already confirmed his participation in the event, with the number 2. He stated that the sporting events in the municipality of Viana do Castelo have registered increases of 10%, in all advantages, in federated sports, an increase as well It was not found that he touched non-federated athletes.

“The Manuela Machado Half Marathon is the benchmark event in terms of concept, it is an event that is increasingly gaining ground at an international level”, Ricardo Rego also highlighted.

The race numbers can be picked up on the lower floor of the Viana do Castelo Cultural Center building, close to the start and finish lines of the race, at the following times: Friday the 17th, from 3 pm to 8 pm; 18th (Saturday), from 3pm to 10pm; test day, from 8am to 9:30am.