Ex-tannery worker to represent Brazil at Rio Olympics
09/05/2016
Solonei Rocha da Silva became interested in racing while he worked at the Atlântica tannery in his home town, Penápolis in the state of São Paulo. One of his tannery colleagues urged him to take part in a local race over a 3,500-metre course close to the factory. He won, but because he did no training and ran in ordinary sports shoes, he developed pains in his legs and gave up athletics for two years.
He came back to running (this time with better shoes) in 2009 when he realised he could win prize money to help buy things for a new home he had just moved to with his wife. He built a career in athletics from there and first made a name for himself internationally when he won the men’s marathon at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.
It will be in the marathon that Solonei Rocha da Silva will compete in Rio.
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