(Jan. 7, 2024) Vanilson Neves of Sao Paulo, Brazil secured his second Walt Disney World Marathon victory in the last three years. Neves crossed the finish line with a time of 2:26:51 at Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. His victory marks the 17th time in the last 19 years that a Brazilian has claimed the title. (Mark Ashman, photographer)

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Brazilian runner tops countryman to win Disney World marathon

admin January 7, 2024

2 minutes read

Vanilson Neves secured another victory over his Brazilian training partner, Daniel dos Santos, to win the Disney World Marathon on Sunday. This marked Neves’ second win over dos Santos in the last three years, reversing the outcome from the previous year when dos Santos emerged victorious in the 26.2-mile race. The competition between the two athletes has become a notable storyline in this event.

The triumph for Neves contributed to the dominant trend of Brazilian runners excelling in the Walt Disney World Marathon, as this marked the 17th Brazilian victory in the past 19 years. The marathon, attracting participants from around the globe, has consistently showcased the prowess of Brazilian athletes.

Vanilson Neves of Sao Paulo, Brazil went on to win the Walt Disney World Marathon. This is his second victory in the last three years. (Mark Ashman, photographer)

Stephanie Muscat of Grand Rapids, Michigan, running her first-ever marathon, triumphed in the women’s division with a time of 2:48:08. T(Mark Ashman, photographer)

In the women’s division, Stephanie Muscat, a first-time marathon runner from Grand Rapids, Michigan, clinched the title. Originally from England and a former competitive swimmer in college, Muscat finished well ahead of the pack with a winning time of 2:48:08. She outpaced Georganne Watson of Phoenixville, Pennsylvania (2:53:12), and Samantha Palmer of Gainesville, Florida (2:53:48).

In the wheelchair division, Brian Siemann of Savoy, Illinois, continued his dominance by securing his eighth consecutive victory with a time of 1:58:18. Siemann finished over an hour ahead of the second-place finisher, Mike Greer of Canada (3:22:32). Heather Sealover of Bossier City, Louisiana, claimed the top spot among women wheelchair finishers with a time of 2:04:38, surpassing Liden Williamson of Seguin, Texas (2:07:18).

Unlike the wide margin in the wheelchair division, Neves faced a close competition with dos Santos. Racing through all four Disney theme parks amid cool temperatures and overcast skies, Neves took the lead and maintained it throughout the final stages of the race. His winning time of 2:26:51 was only seconds ahead of dos Santos (2:27:25) and Prescott Leach of Waltham, Massachusetts (2:28:17).

Neves revealed that he sacrificed celebrating Christmas and New Year’s Eve to focus on the crucial phase of his training. With the victory on Sunday, he expressed his intention to finally embrace the holiday spirit and raise a toast to his marathon performance.