Mariana Machado improved her personal record in the 5,000 meters on Wednesday, with the ninth fastest time in Portugal, but was left out of the world athletics final, in 20th place.
The youngest athlete of the Portuguese delegation to Eugene2022, aged 21, completed the second semi-final distance in 15.18.09 minutes, seven seconds less than her previous best mark (15.25.87, already this year), improving the sub national ranking. -23 record — the previous mark was 20 years old and held by Inês Monteiro (21.15.05).
“It was great. My first goal was to beat the personal record, the second to beat the national record [do seu escalão] and, if it were possible, by a miracle, a pass to the final, which I know was very difficult in a first participation”, explained the Sporting de Braga athlete.
The 12th place in her semifinal, conquered by the Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey, world champion of the 10,000 meters, in 14.52.27, left her out of the five direct qualifying places, also being out of the playoff places, the last one was the American Emily Infeld, on 15.00.98.
But, at the age of 21, and in her debut on the big stages, the daughter of Albertina Machado, seventh in the 10,000 meters in Seoul 1988 and in the World Championships in Rome 1987, climbed into the ‘top-10’ of the distance between the Portuguese , only surpassed by the national record holder Fernanda Ribeiro (14.36.45) and by the consecrated Jessica Augusto (14.37.07), Sara Moreira (14.54.71), Inês Monteiro (15.01.06), Albertina Dias (15.05.06). 12), Aurora Cunha (06.15.96), Marina Bastos (07.15.29) and Dulce Félix (08.15.02).
“I think for a debut I couldn’t ask for better! I was already missing a national record and it always feels good. I am very satisfied, I achieved my main objective, I am leaving here very motivated to come back next year. , with bigger goals: who knows a ticket to the final, ”he continued.
After having reached her first world championships with the 29th mark among those registered, Mariana Machado highlighted the achievements obtained.
“It is in these competitions where we gain experience to reach finalist places or medals. Whenever I achieved something in my category, I had to participate without winning anything. That’s how I see this competition, so I can only be satisfied. Come the European championship that was my real goal for this season”, he said.
In the last kilometer, the youngest member of the Portuguese national team, who, like the javelin thrower Leandro Ramos, born in 2000, conquered three positions, to reach 10th place, after having accelerated at the start of the competition.
“I was aware that the first laps were going to be very fast and I felt that if I let myself go at that pace I could explode. I had to hold back, I did more than half of the race alone, so I think there is room for progression. , in one more race with my rhythms, not with these rhythms of the best in the world, for I am still far away. I knew I had to push, in order to win. this record and I am very happy to achieve it,” she concluded.
Source: TSF
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