“I don’t remember anything,” said the Portuguese athlete.
Portuguese Sara Moreira fainted during the marathon of the Olympic Games Tokyo’2020, after traveling 21 kilometers, explained the athlete, after receiving medical assistance while still on the premises, in Sapporo.
“I don’t know what happened. I remember passing the half marathon, because around 18 kilometers I stopped to go to the bathroom, but then I started running and fell to the side, I don’t remember anything “, said the athlete from Santo Tirso to Lusa agency.
In the mixed zone, Sara Moreira was supported by a member of the national staff, after having left the route in a wheelchair, inanimate, according to Lusa’s findings at the site, at a time of 30 degrees Celsius.
“Now I’m fine, as far as possible. I know I’ve passed the 21 kilometers, but I don’t know when I fell,” said the 35-year-old marathoner, who at the time was in 75th place, 03.27 minutes from the group. 12 athletes who led the race.
Sara Moreira finished her fourth Olympic presence in physical difficulties, after having given up in the Rio2016 marathon, having been 14th in the 10,000 meters in London’2012 and 22nd in the 3,000 meters hurdles in Beijing’2008.
The Sporting athlete was European champion of the half marathon, in 2016, and third and fourth in the New York Marathon, in 2014 and 2015, respectively, having ensured her presence in Tokyo’2020 with a record of 02:26.42 hours, in Twente, the Netherlands, on April 18, 2021.
Still in competition – whose start was anticipated to 06:00 local time (22:00 in Lisbon), due to the forecast of intense heat – are the Portuguese Carla Salomé Rocha, for the first time in the marathon, after having been 26th in the 10,000 meters at Rio’2016, and newcomer Sara Catarina Ribeiro.
– .
