Maria Fernanda Moreira Ribeiro (born June 23rd, 1969), a long-distance runner, born in Penafiel, Portugal. She achieved the top of her career in the 1996 Summer Olympics where she won the women's 10,000m gold medal, giving Portugal their 3rd Olympic gold (all in the long distance), and establishing a new olympic record - 31:01.63. Image File history File links source: http://www. ... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... 1969 was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1969 calendar). ... The introduction of this article does not provide enough context for readers unfamiliar with the subject. ... The 1996 Summer Olympics, formally known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and informally known as the Centennial Olympics, were held in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. ... For months before the Olympic Games, runners relay the Olympic Flame from Olympia to the opening ceremony. ...

Biography

Fernanda made her first steps into athletics at Grupo Desportivo do Kolossal, before joining FC Porto, which she represented in 1982-1992. After a 2-year passage through Maratona Clube da Maia, Fernanda returned to FC Porto where she competed until recently. Along with her sporting career, she works at her town hall as a sports advisor to the mayor. Image File history File links Young Fernanda Ribeiro This work is copyrighted. ... Athletics, also known as track and field or track and field athletics, is a collection of sport events. ... FC Porto emblem (Larger version) Futebol Clube do Porto (short: FC Porto, FCP) is a Portuguese sports club, best known for its football section. ... 1982 is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... FC Porto emblem (Larger version) Futebol Clube do Porto (short: FC Porto, FCP) is a Portuguese sports club, best known for its football section. ...

She is the most medalled portuguese athlete ever, having participated in five Olympics (Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sidney 2000, Athens 2004) and many more European and World Championships. An athlete is a person possessing above average physical skills (strength, agility, and endurance) and thus seen suitable for physical activities, in particular, contests. ... Seoul (   listen?) is the capital of South Korea. ... 1988 is a leap year starting on a Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Barcelona within Barcelonès Population (2003) 1,582,738 Area 1004 Km2 Population density (2001) 15,764/Km2 Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia, an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, and the countrys second-largest city (after Madrid). ... 1992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the state capital of Georgia. ... 1996 is a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... Sidney is the name of some places in the United States of America and Canada: Sidney, Kentucky Sidney, Montana Sidney, Nebraska Town of Sidney, New York Village of Sidney, New York Sidney, Ohio Sidney, British Columbia Also see, spelled differently: Sydney, Australia Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada Sidney (sometimes spelled Sydney... 2000 is a leap year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Acropolis in central Athens, one of the most important landmarks in world history. ... 2004 is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The European Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the European Athletic Association. ... The World Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the International Association of Athletics Federations. ...

Atlanta 1996

August 2nd - it was one of the most exciting finals ever in the olympic women's 10,000m. At the beginning of the last lap, Fernanda was 20m behind the chinese athlete Wang Junxia, world record holder and 5000m olympic champion. Image File history File links Fernanda Ribeiro crossing first the 10,000m finish line, in Atlanta 1996 This work is copyrighted. ... August 2 is the 214th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (215th in leap years), with 151 days remaining. ... Wang Junxia is a Chinese runner born in Jiahoe on the 9th of January 1973. ... A world record is the best performance in a certain discipline, usually a sports event. ...

But the last 200m were something to hold the breath, as in a last-chance sprint, Fernanda passed dangerously her opponent from her left leaving Wang without reaction and with a 2nd-place confirmation. At the end of her race, Fernanda said «I had promised to fight until my very limits, i only missed finishing on my knees. From the 3rd kilometer i started feeling pain on the Achilles' tendon, managed to withstand, suffered, but i, for the dream of becoming olympic champion, was ready to run until... death knocked me over! I just got a bit scared when i saw Wang, the turtle-blood chinese, isolating 400m to the finish line. But that instant i wasn't defeated yet... it was when i remembered my promise to go to Fatima on foot.» Wang Junxia is a Chinese runner born in Jiahoe on the 9th of January 1973. ...

In November, she pilgrimed to Fatima as promised to thank Our Lady of Fatima for her incredible victory. November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... Fatima basilica Fatima esplanade, 13/05/2003 Religious articles, 13/05/2003 Fátima is a town in Portugal famous for the religious visions that are said to have taken place there in 1917. ... Our Lady of Fatima (Portuguese: Nossa Senhora do Rosário da Fátima) is one of the best-known Marian apparitions in the world. ...

Achievements

Olympic Games

1st 10,000m, 1996 Atlanta, USA

3rd 10,000m, 2000 Sidney, AUS

World Championships

2nd 3000m, 1988 Sudbury, UK (junior)

1st 10,000m, 1995 Gotenburg, SWE

2nd 5000m, 1995 Gotenburg, SWE

2nd 10000m, 1997 Athens, GRE

3rd 5000m, 1997 Athens, GRE

3rd 3000m, 1997 Paris, FRA (indoor)

World Cup

2nd 10,000m, 1994 London, UK

European Championships

1st 3000m, 1988 Birmigham, UK (junior)

1st 10,000m, 1994 Helsinki, FIN

1st 3000m, 1994 Paris, FRA (indoor)

1st 3000m, 1996 Stockholm, SWE (indoor)

2nd 10,000m, 1998 Budapest, HUN

2nd 3000m, 1998 Valencia, SPA (indoor)

The European Championships in Athletics is an event organized by the European Athletic Association. ... The 1994 European Championships in Athletics were in held in Helsinki a city in Finland. ... The 1998 European Championships in Athletics were in held in Budapest a city in Hungary. ...

Personal bests

• 2000m - 5:37.88 (Lisbon, 1996)
• 2000m - 5:37.34 (Valencia, 1996 - indoor)
• 3000m - 8:39.49 (Stockholm, 1996 - indoor)
• 5000m - 14:36.45 (Hechtel, 1995)
• 5000m - 15:06.52 (Moscow, 1996 - indoor)
• 10,000m - 30:48.06 (Lisbon, 1998)
• 10,000m - 31:01.63 (Atlanta, 1996 - olympic)

External links

• http://www.atletas.net
• http://atletismo.no.sapo.pt/fernanda.htm