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Vanderlei is pictured above holding his country's flag after taking the
bronze medal in the marathon at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Although
the Brazilian looks happy enough in the photo he must have been thinking
of what might have been as with just three miles to go he was well
clear of the field. Tragically, he was then grabbed by a deranged
Irishman who ran out from the crowd, causing the Brazilian to lose
something like 10 seconds. Clearly traumatised by the incident Lima was
overhauled by Italy's Stefano Baldini about a mile later and shortly
after Mebrahtom Keflezighi also went by him. Thankfully Vanderlei
recovered his composure sufficiently to finish third and despite a
Brazilian protest and calls from many people for him to be awarded a
'duplicate gold' he had to settle for the bronze medal.
In August 2016 Vanderlei Lima lit the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony of the 2016 Summer Olympics, just days before his 47th birthday.
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In 1999 and 2003 he won the marathon event at the Pan American Games.
He also won the Tokyo International marathon * and Hamburg marathon.
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Men's Marathon
Olympic Games 2004
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| 1. Stefano Baldini |
|
ITA |
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2: 10.55 |
| 2. Mebrahtom Keflezighi |
|
USA |
|
2: 11.29 |
| 3. Vanderlei de Lima |
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BRA |
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2: 12.11 |
| 4. Jon Brown |
|
GBR |
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2: 12.26 |
| 5. Shigeru Aburaya |
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JPN |
|
2: 13.11 |
| 6. Toshinari Suwa |
|
JPN |
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2: 13.24 |
| 7. Erick Wainaina |
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KEN |
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2: 13.30 |
| 8. Alberto Chaica |
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POR |
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2: 14.17 |
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ANNUAL PROGRESS.
2007 2:12:54 Milano 02 DEC
2006 2:11:36 Amsterdam 15 OCT
2004 2:09:39 Hamburg 18 APR
2003 2:10:38 Fukuoka 07 DEC
2002 2:11:19 São Paulo 14 JUL
2001 2:10:02 Oita 04 FEB
2000 2:08:34 Rotterdam 16 APR
1999 2:08:40 Fukuoka 05 DEC
1998 2:08:31 Tokyo 08 FEB (personal best) (aged 29) *
1997 2:21:48 Athína 10 AUG