Sporting race filled the streets of Lisbon
Leonine winners in male and female
Three years after the last time, the Sporting Race has become a reality again, with the tenth edition taking place this Saturday and with victories by athletes from Sporting Clube de Portugal on both sides.
Starting and finishing at Estádio José Alvalade – the latter on the pitch -, the Sporting Race once again filled the streets of Lisbon, with around 4,700 participants divided between the ten kilometer race, the Leonina Family Walk (four kilometers) and the Jubas Race , dedicated to the little ones.
It was precisely the Jubas Race that started the morning, with many children participating in the races divided by age groups. With lots of smiles and lots of energy, the Little Lions ran the 300 (Bambis), 500 (Benjamins A), 700 (Benjamins B) and 1000 meters (Children’s) and ended up at the José Alvalade Stadium.
This was followed by the Caminhada Família Leonina, with the four kilometer route starting from the José Alvalade Stadium and continuing to Avenida do Brasil before returning to the green and white enclosure. Like the other competitions, the Caminhada Família Leonina ended on the pitch.
Finally, at around 10.30 am, the Sporting Race began, with thousands of athletes setting out on a ten kilometer course with the turnaround taking place on Avenida Fontes Pereira de Melo.
The Sporting Race ended up being, as expected, dominated by the home athletes. In the men’s category, Jacinto Gaspar was the winner, having cut the goal on the pitch of Estádio José Alvalade with a time of 31’59”. Leandro Monteiro, also Leão, was second (32’12”), while Hugo Figueiredo, from the Sporting CP triathlon team, was third (32’19”). Rodrigo Lima (32’27”) and Zacarias Sitoe (32’54”), also from the green and white emblem, rounded out the top 5.
In the women’s category, Verónica José – a recent signing from Sporting CP – won with a time of 38’20”, followed by teammate Ana Mafalda Ferreira (38’49”). Filipa Veloso (without club) closed the podium with 39’36”.
At the end of the event, Miguel Afonso was very satisfied. “We won everyone with a great family spirit. It’s wonderful to see so many people. Sporting CP environment and great morning for Sporting CP”, began by saying the member of the Board of Directors to the Sporting CP media, continuing.
“This fills our hearts and demonstrates the vitality of Sporting CP from generation to generation. Another day of enormous Sportinguismo and this immense club. We are very big. In recent days, thanks to Sporting CP, this country has brought more world titles to here, in this case in trampoline gymnastics. It was a World title with 100% Sporting CP athletes and maybe that’s why little news was made. Sporting CP and the history of national sport are very mixed. It’s rare that we don’t participate in European and world titles. See the basis of the European and world futsal titles or the European football in 2016. We must be very proud to be from Sporting CP and we will be more and more together and united. party”, he stressed.
José Carlos Reis, technical and operational director of the modalities, highlighted the fact that “all registration records were beaten, which is a fact to be noted”. “It is extremely motivating to have so many people. They are appealing to all Sporting fans to practice sports and physical exercise. It is extremely important for our health and Sporting CP must set an example. All Club employees must participate in these activities, as well as all Sporting fans”, he said.
Admitting the desire to organize “many more events”, the director explained that “it is important to create all this connection to the Club, which is linked to sport and is open to everyone”: “Sporting CP is not just for those who play in the teams main ones, whether in youth or seniors. It’s also for those who like to play sports in their Club. We want to be inclusive”.
Finally, José Carlos Reis set a goal for the 2023 edition of Corrida Sporting: “Next year we hope to reach ten thousand registrations. It is a great challenge”.