Ana Dias facts for kids
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Full name | Ana Maria Guerreiro Dias |
| Nationality | Portuguese |
| Born | 15 January 1974 Faro, Algarve, Portugal |
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) |
| Weight | 52 kg (115 lb) |
| Sport | |
| Sport | Athletics |
| Event(s) | Long-distance running |
| Club | Provo da Conceição de Faro |
| Achievements and titles | |
| Personal best(s) | 5000 m: 15:26.41 (2001) 10,000 m: 31:39.52 (1999) Half-marathon: 1:10:28 (2003) Marathon: 2:28:49 (2003) |
Ana Maria Guerreiro Dias (born January 15, 1974) is a famous Portuguese runner. She specializes in long-distance races and marathons. Ana is an amazing athlete who has competed in the Olympic Games four times. She also holds many national records for Portugal. These records are for races like the 5000 metres, 10,000 metres, half-marathon, and marathon. In 2003, she ran her fastest marathon ever. She finished the Berlin Marathon in 2 hours, 28 minutes, and 49 seconds. This was a fantastic achievement!
Contents
Ana Dias's Running Journey
Early Olympic Races
Ana Dias started her Olympic journey at age 22. Her first big event was the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta. She competed in the very first women's 5000 metres race. Ana finished eleventh in her heat with a time of 15:57.35. She was just behind Denmark's Nina Christensen.
Four years later, Ana competed again at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. This time, she ran the women's 10,000 metres. She placed twelfth in the early races. Her time was 33:21.69. She didn't quite make it to the finals in these races.
Becoming a Marathon Star
After her first two Olympics, Ana decided to focus on marathon running. This was a smart move for her career. In 2003, she had a huge breakthrough. She ran the Berlin Marathon and finished fourth. Her time of 2:28:49 was her personal best. She was only 21 seconds behind Italy's Ornella Ferrara. This great performance helped her qualify for the next Olympics. She had reached the "Olympic A-standard time." This means she was fast enough to compete.
More Olympic Challenges
Ana went to her third Olympics in Athens in 2004. She ran in the women's marathon. She finished sixty-second out of 82 runners. The following year, she ran in the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland. She improved her performance, finishing thirty-second. Her time was 2:36:50.
In 2008, Ana Dias was 34 years old. She qualified for her fourth Olympic team. This was for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. She had run a qualifying time of 2:29:22 at the Seville Marathon. In Beijing, she finished the race in forty-sixth place. Her time was 2:36:25. She was just a second behind Spain's Yesenia Centeno.
Later Career Highlights
In 2009, Ana achieved one of her best long-distance results. She finished fourth in the women's 10,000 metres. This was at the European Cup 10,000m in Ribeira Brava, Madeira. Her time was 31:42.94.
Three years later, Ana hoped to qualify for her fifth Olympics. This would have been the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. She also competed at the 2012 European Championships in Athletics in Helsinki, Finland. She placed seventh in the 10,000 metres race. However, she did not quite reach the "A-standard time" needed for the Olympics.
Her Best Race Times
Here are Ana Dias's fastest times in her favorite races:
| Event | Performance | Location | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5000 metres | 15:26.41 | Lisbon | 22 July 2001 |
| 10,000 metres | 31:39.52 | Barakaldo | 10 April 1999 |
| Half-marathon | 1:10:28 | Oruña de Piélagos | 6 September 2003 |
| Marathon | 2:28:49 | Berlin | September 28, 2003 |
