Vanderlei De Lima's donations (© c)
Vanderlei de Lima of Brazil who won the men’s Marathon bronze medal at the last Olympic Games in Athens has donated his official Olympic track suit and Olympic bib to the IAAF Athletics for a Better World humanitarian project.
“This program is the opportunity to lend our hands, our thoughts and our hearts to those who need," said the 36-year-old De Lima.
"The world is a big family and each of us must take care of our brothers and sisters”.
The 1999 Marathon Pan American champion who volunteered to take part in the IAAF’s humanitarian cause, was leading the Athens Olympic Marathon when he was attacked at around the 37th kilometre into the race. Pushed into the crowd by a man dressed in a kilt and wearing a beret with some writing scrawled on his back, De Lima was evidently shocked but quickly resumed his running.
The Brazilian eventually held on for a superb bronze medal finish in the historical Panathinaikos Satdium in the Greek Capital.
In addition to his medal, De Lima was presented with the Pierre de Coubertin Fair Play medal by the IOC.
De Lima’s donations will be auctioned at the end of the year and all profits donated to the United Nations Associations: FAO, UNICEF and WFP.
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