Eulalio Muñoz became the first Argentine to finish the marathon in a world championship in athletics

The Argentine cross-country skier Eulalio Munozoriginally from Gualjaina (Chubut) and who turned 27 on Saturday, he was ranked 41st in the World Championship marathon, held this Sunday, July 17, in Eugene, Oregon, a mythical territory for our sport.

Munoz used 2h14m29, thus being the first Argentine marathon runner in history to complete the test at the World Championships. Alfredo Maravilla (Helsinki 83), Jorge Yeber (Rome 87) and Mariano Mastromarino (London 2017) had already participated, even if, for various reasons, they had to give up.

Muñoz – who only in recent weeks has managed to overcome a series of injuries that have damaged him for several months and has thus been able to carry out a cycle of preparation at high altitude- he had an excellent performance in the first sections of this marathonpassing very close to the leading group until kilometer 25, when his pace slowed down.

Partials of 30m58 for the 10km, 45m59 for the 15km, 1h04m16 for the half marathon -when the lead was 1h03m58 from Shumi Dechasa, Bahrain- and 1h16m41 for the 25km were checked.

The leading group broke towards kilometer 30 and was at kilometer 34 where Ethiopian Tamirat Tola produced the strong change of pace that would lead to victory.

Tola won in 2:05:36, followed by compatriot Mosinet Geremew in 2:06:44, leaving the bronze to Bashir Badi, Belgian and Olympic medalist, who scored 2:06:48.

Geremew is well known to the Argentine publicor since he won the Buenos Aires half marathon in 2018 and has since established himself as a front-line figure: he had also won the silver medal in the previous World Cup, in Doha.

His compatriot Lelisa Desisa, champion there, started this Sunday. Canadian Cameron Lewis was the surprise with his fourth place in 2h07m09, the only one who could break the sensational African dominance, while the Kenyan Geoffrey Kamworor – former king of the cross and half marathon- finished fifth with 2h07m14, ahead of another Ethiopian Seifu Tura (2h07m17s). This is also known among us, since it was one of the pillars of the 21k of Buenos Aires in 2019.

The best South American was the region’s record holder, the Brazilian Daniel Ferreira do Nascimento, with an excellent sixth place of 2h07m35.

A total of 63 runners participated and 54 of them reached the finish line.

For Muñoz it was the seventh marathon of his campaign. He had made his debut on April 7, 2019 in Rotterdam (17th with 2h15m48) and that same year he was 7th in the Buenos Aires marathon with 2h12m21. On 1 December he reached 2:11:25 in Valencia, a test he repeated a year later (6 December 2020) with his personal best of 2:09:59, making him the second Argentine in history to run under 2 : 10. At the Olympic Games, on August 8, 2021 in Sapporo, he achieved a meritorious performance with his 31st place in 2h16m3. And on December 5th he returned to Valencia (32nd with 2h11m56).