Ronaldo da Costa parades the Brazilian flag at the 1998 World Half Marathon Champs (© Getty Images)
Theatrical thunder and lightening gave Ronaldo da Costa an early hint on Tuesday of the struggle he faces to break his own world record in Sunday's London marathon.
Da Costa flew into London from his native Brazil on Monday after training in temperatures over 30 degrees Celsius.
He was greeted on Tuesday by typical English spring weather plus a thunderstorm of Wagnerian intensity accompanied by a freezing wind and gloomy early forecasts about the conditions for Sunday's race.
The 28-year-old Brazilian broke the 10-year-old world record in Berlin last September when he became the first person to run 42.195 kms under two hours seven minutes.
Running the second half in an unprecedented 61 minutes 23 seconds, Da Costa clocked 2:06:05, shattering Ethiopian Belayneh Dinsamo's previous world mark of 2:06:50.
After setting the world best in only his second marathon on a flat, fast course in Berlin, Da Costa became an instant celebrity in Brazil to rival soccer star Ronaldo.
The second Ronaldo became instantly known as ``Ronaldinho'' - or the little Ronaldo - and almost as famous.
"Since (winning) he has been to every major city in Brazil for special ceremonies, and they're still going on," said his agent Luis Felipe Posso. ``He was in every telecast, every newspaper.''
Hours after setting the marathon best, a Brazilian television crew flew to Berlin and accompanied the new national hero back home, and then flew him by helicopter to his rural hometown of Descoberto, 150 kilometers north of Rio de Janeiro.
"There's still a huge difference between soccer and athletics in Brazil,'' said Da Costa, "I hope maybe with this the Brazilian community will be behind more running events.''
Now his soccer days are far behind after turning to the roads in a search for fame and fortune. "Most of my family depends on me," he said. "I always have to take care of my family."
Da Costa, who has been attracted to the London event by a sizeable chunk of the two million pounds sterling ($3.6 million) elite runners' budget, told a news conference on Tuesday he was in world record shape.
The 7-4 favourite in a field containing Olympic champion Josia Thugwane and world gold medallist Abel Anton did, though, sound a note of caution about the likely weather on Sunday.
"I am coming from 36 degrees and now it's five or six," he said. "I will have to wait and see on Sunday."
Da Costa's life has been transformed since the Berlin race. He now takes full financial responsibility for his extended family which includes 11 siblings.
Da Costa will receive an estimated appearance fee in excess of $150,000 and if he wins on Sunday he will be richer by a minimum $55,000 with the possibility of a further $50,000 if he breaks the 2:07 barrier.
South Africa’s Josiah Thugwane, fourth favourite at 11-2 in the initial odds quoted on Tuesday, became in 1996 the first black South African to win an Olympic marathon.
He finished third in the London marathon two years ago but was forced to drop out of last year's event and the subsequent New York marathon with injuries.
He made a premature exit from London last April after aggravating an old injury while swerving to avoid a wheelchair contestant. He then strained a groin muscle while stepping into a pothole on 59th Street Bridge in New York.
A half marathon run in around 70 minutes in Cape Town recently does not inspire total confidence in Thugwane's prospects on Sunday, although he made the predictable confident noises on Tuesday.
Of more interest was the revelation that he gives practical help to young footballers in South Africa by bringing back at least 20 pairs of soccer boots after each overseas visit.
Da Costa, understandably in football-crazy Brazil, also has a soccer connection. He was a goalkeeper as a youth.
Now his soccer days are far behind after turning to the roads in a search for fame and fortune. "Most of my family depends on me," he said. "I always have to take care of my family."
Agencies for the IAAF
