# Marílson Gomes dos Santos

Marílson Gomes dos Santos (born 6 August 1977) is a Brazilian long-distance runner.

## Career

Gomes dos Santos won the 2006 and 2008 New York City Marathon, becoming the first South American to win the race. He was selected as the best male performer at the 2009 Brazilian national championships after breaking the meet records in both the 5000 metres and 10,000 metres races. He is the current South American record holder in both these events with times of 13:19.43 and 27:28.12, respectively.
He has won medals at the South American Cross Country Championships, starting with a silver in the junior race in 1996, then taking the bronze in the men's long race in 2000, before winning his first championship title in 2008.
He ran at the 2010 London Marathon and came close to a personal best time, finishing in 2:08:46 for sixth place behind Abel Kirui. He signed up for the New York Marathon that year and used the Troféu Brasil de Atletismo (the Brazilian athletics championships) as his preparation, winning the 10,000 m title. He secured his third career win at the Saint Silvester Race in São Paulo at the end of the year – a record number for a Brazilian runner since the opening of the run for international participant (since 1945).
At the 2011 London Marathon, he set a personal best of 2:06:34 hours and placed fourth in the fast race behind a Kenyan trio of Emmanuel Mutai, Martin Lel and Patrick Makau.
Gomes dos Santos competed in the marathon at the 2008, 2012 Summer Olympics and 2016 Olympics with the best result of fifth place in 2012. He is married to Juliana Paula dos Santos, a fellow runner who won gold medals at the 2007 and 2015 Pan American Games. They have a son Miguel.

## Competition record

| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
| Representing the Brazil ||||||
| 1995 | South American Cross Country Championships (U20) | Cali, Colombia | 5th | 8 km | 23:55 |
| 1995 | World Cross Country Championships (U20) | Durham, United Kingdom | 88th | 8.47 km | 27:06 |
| 1995 | Pan American Athletics Championships | Santiago, Chile | 5th | 5000 m | 14:45.87 |
| 1995 | South American Junior Championships | Santiago, Chile | 2nd | 5000 m | 14:36.88 |
| 1996 | South American Cross Country Championships – (U20) | Asunción, Paraguay | 2nd | 8 km | 26:09 |
| 1996 | World Cross Country Championships (U20) | Stellenbosch, South Africa | 22nd | 8.35 km | 26:21 |
| 1996 | South American Junior Championships | Bucaramanga, Colombia | 2nd | 5000 m | 14:48.3 |
| 1996 | World Junior Championships | Sydney, Australia | 21st (h) | 5000m | 14:30.99 |
| 1997 | Universiade | Catania, Italy | 1st | Half marathon | 1:03:32 |
| 1999 | South American Cross Country Championships | Artur Nogueira, Brazil | 4th | 12 km | 39:24 |
| 1999 | World Cross Country Championships | Belfast, United Kingdom | 84th | 12 km | 43:28 |
| 1999 | Universiade | Palma de Mallorca, Spain | 1st | Half marathon | 1:04:05 |
| 2000 | South American Cross Country Championships | Cartagena, Colombia | 3rd | 12 km | 37:59 |
| 2000 | Ibero-American Championships | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 2nd | 10,000 m | 28:58.74 |
| 2002 | Saint Silvester Road Race | São Paulo, Brazil | 2nd | 15 km | 45:06 |
| 2003 | South American Championships | Barquisimeto, Venezuela | 1st | 5000 m | 13:52.15 |
| 2003 | Pan American Games | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 3rd | 5000 m | 13:56.90 |
| 2003 | Pan American Games | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic | 2nd | 10,000 m | 28:49.48 |
| 2003 | Saint Silvester Road Race | São Paulo, Brazil | 1st | 15 km | 43:49 |
| 2005 | World Championships | Helsinki, Finland | 6th | Marathon | 2:13:40 |
| 2005 | Saint Silvester Road Race | São Paulo, Brazil | 1st | 15 km | 44:19 |
| 2006 | Ibero-American Championships | Ponce, Puerto Rico | 1st | 5000 m | 13:42.88 |
| 2006 | World Cup | Athens, Greece | 5th | 5000 m | 13:47.15 |
| 2006 | New York City Marathon | New York City, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:09:58 |
| 2007 | Pan American Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 3rd | 5000 m | 13:30.68 |
| 2007 | Pan American Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 2nd | 10,000 m | 28:09.30 |
| 2007 | World Road Running Championships | Udine, Italy | 7th | Half marathon | 59:33 |
| 2008 | South American Cross Country Championships | Asunción, Paraguay | 1st | 12.0 km | 37:28 |
| 2008 | World Cross Country Championships | Edinburgh, United Kingdom | 53rd | 12 km | 37:17 |
| 2008 | Olympic Games | Beijing, China | — | Marathon | DNF |
| 2008 | World Half Marathon Championships | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 8th | Half marathon | 1:03:18 |
| 2008 | South American Half Marathon Championships | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 1st | Half marathon | 1:03:18 |
| 2008 | New York City Marathon | New York City, United States | 1st | Marathon | 2:08:43 |
| 2009 | World Championships | Berlin, Germany | 16th | Marathon | 2:15:13 |
| 2009 | World Half Marathon Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 17th | Half marathon | 1:02:41 |
| 2010 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 6th | Marathon | 2:08:46 |
| 2010 | Ibero-American Championships | San Fernando, Spain | 2nd | 5000 m | 13:34.92 |
| 2010 | New York City Marathon | New York City, United States | 7th | Marathon | 2:11:51 |
| 2010 | Saint Silvester Road Race | São Paulo, Brazil | 1st | 15 km | 44:07 |
| 2011 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 4th | Marathon | 2:06:34 |
| 2011 | South American Half Marathon Championships | Buenos Aires, Argentina | 1st | Half marathon | 1:01:13 |
| 2011 | Pan American Games | Guadalajara, México | 1st | 10,000 m | 29:00.64 |
| 2012 | London Marathon | London, United Kingdom | 8th | Marathon | 2:08:03 |
| 2012 | Olympic Games | London, United Kingdom | 5th | Marathon | 2:11:10 |
| 2013 | Berlin Marathon | Berlin, Germany | 6th | Marathon | 2:09:24 |