FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Costa Back "Home" in Walt Disney World Marathon Winner's Circle
Brazilian Fredison Costa dominates in second straight Disney Marathon;
Giovanna Martins of Brazil claims her first women's title; More than 84,000
runners lined up for races in the five-day runDisney event that includes
new Disney Castaway Cay Challenge
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (Jan. 11, 2015) - Fredison Costa is making himself
at home - literally - at Walt Disney World Resort.
The Brazilian runner, who recently moved to Orlando and trains at ESPN Wide
World of Sports Complex at Disney World, ran away with another Walt Disney
World Marathon victory on Sunday. On a picturesque morning at Epcot, Costa
left everyone behind in waltzing to his second straight Disney Marathon win
and fourth in the past five years.
And he led another parade of Brazilian runners who were among the first
four runners to cross the finish line. Trindade Mateus was second; Joao
Fonseca was third and perennial Disney Marathon champion Adriano Bastos was
fourth. It was the 11th straight year that a Brazilian won the 26.2-mile
race through all four Disney theme parks, the Walt Disney World Speedway
and ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex.
To complete the Brazilian domination at Disney, Giovanna Martins of Brazil
was the top female winner, finishing in 2:50:20. Martins cried tears of joy
after crossing the line. "I'm a teacher of disabled and underprivileged
children (in Brazil) who dream about Mickey Mouse and love him as much as I
do," Martins said through an interpreter, "so this was a dream come
true."
Martins was never challenged down the stretch. Neither was Costa, 37, who
won by more than four minutes. That's enough time to ride Space Mountain
before Mateus crossed the finish line. At 2:18:06, Costa easily topped his
winning time from last year of 2:21:39.
He said the best part of the race was seeing his coach, former US Olympic
track coach Brooks Johnson, as he ran through ESPN Wide World of Sports
Complex. "I could see (him) and he was just cheering me on," Costa said
through an interpreter. "I really feel at home running here."
In the wheelchair division, Robert Kozarek of Urbana, Ill., repeated as the
men's champion (1:57:35). Perennial winner Jacqui Kapinowski of Tesqesta,
Fla., won the women's division (2:39:04).
In all, more than 26,700 runners competed in the Disney Marathon presented
by Cigna on Sunday. More than 7,600 of those runners ran in all four
weekend events - the 5K, the 10K, the half marathon and the marathon,
completing the popular "Dopey Challenge" (48.6 miles).
The Disney Marathon featured events for the entire family such as
runDisney Kids' Races, the Family Fun Run 5K on Thursday, the Walt Disney
World 10K on Friday, the Half Marathon on Saturday and the Marathon on
Sunday. A Health and Fitness Expo ran throughout the weekend at ESPN Wide
World of Sports Complex and featured the latest in running technology and
fashion, as well as renowned running experts such as Jeff Galloway, the
official training consultant for runDisney, and Tara Gidus, the official
runDisney nutritionist.
In a new twist this year, the Disney Marathon Weekend extends onto the high
seas. Disney Marathon Weekend runners are competing Jan. 14 in the new
Disney Castaway Cay Challenge, a special 5K race on Disney Castaway Cay,
Disney Cruise Line's private Bahamas island. Every runner who finishes this
new runDisney Challenge event will earn two medals - an inaugural Disney
Castaway Cay Challenge medal and a Castaway Cay 5K medallion, plus any
medals earned for running any Disney Marathon Weekend events (5K, 10K, half
marathon or full marathon).
The Castaway Cay Challenge takes place during the 4-night Disney Dream
cruise itinerary that sets sail Jan. 12 from Port Canaveral, Fla. and
includes a stop in Nassau in addition to Castaway Cay. The cruise will
feature exclusive activities designed for Castaway Cay Challenge
participants, plus special menu items and merchandise.
The Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend is the first race in the 2015
runDisney series, which includes eight weekend events at Walt Disney World
and Disneyland. Next up in the runDisney series is the inaugural Star Wars
Half Marathon Weekend presented by Sierra Nevada Corporation at Disneyland
Resort, Jan. 15-18.
About runDisney
runDisney is a series of eight events providing runners unique
opportunities to run various distances through Disney theme parks. Race
participants earn Disney-themed medals, experience legendary Disney
entertainment and guest service and ultimately celebrate their
accomplishments with a Disney vacation. The original event in the series,
the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna takes place in
January followed by the Disney Princess Half Marathon Weekend presented by
Children's Miracle Network Hospitals in February, Expedition Everest
Challenge in May, The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror 10-Miler in October and
the Disney Wine & Dine Half Marathon Weekend in November. Disneyland hosts
the Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend presented by Sierra Nevada Corporation
in Jan., the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend in May, the Disneyland Half
Marathon Weekend presented by Cigna in September during Labor Day Weekend
and the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon Weekend in November. More than
209,000 running enthusiasts participate in runDisney events each year. For
more information, visit runDisney.com and follow us on Facebook (runDisney)
and Twitter @runDisney.
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