Alejandro Fernández and Mónica Silva win the São Silvestre Porto

The last challenge of the year in Porto, the S. Silvestre Race gathered over 17 thousand participants, both in the 10 km race and in the 5 km walk. Debut runner to S. Silvestre in the Invicta, the Spanish athlete Alejandro Fernández won gold by completing the race in 29m53s. The fastest female participant was Mónica Silva, with the time of 35m17s.

This was the 26th edition of this iconic race in Porto, with run out registrations in both types of the competition. The starting pistol was set by Councillor for Youth and Sports of Porto City Hall, Catarina Araújo, at 6pm. 

The Spanish Alejandro Fernández, representing the Ourense Atletismo Club and a debut participant to this race won the competition with a time of 29 minute and 53 seconds. This was the 11th win by a foreign athlete and the first of a Spanish in 26 editions of the Porto São Silvestre. The race had had Portuguese champions for thirteen times straight, as the last time that a foreign athlete won the competition was in 2006, by the Kenyan athlete Peter Muriuki.

Luís Saraiva, of SC Braga, was the best Portuguese athlete, with a time of 29m57s, and Nuno Costa, of AC Maia, with a time of 30m32s.

The Portuguese Mónica Silva was the first feminine athlete to cross the finish line, with the time of 35m17s. Daniela Cunha (35m30s) and Marisa Barros (35m43s), representing SC Salgueiros, secured second and third podium places.

According to Runporto, 9.277 athletes finished the 10km race, so the 2015 record remains intact, with 10.880 athletes completing the main competition.

The 2019 edition gathered participants from 42 countries, and for the third year running, this event was considered a five star event by the European Athletics Association.

+Info