António Pinto

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

António Pinto (born March 22, 1966 in Vila Garcia-Amarante) is a Portuguese long-distance runner who won the London Marathon in 1992, 1997 and 2000. He also won the 10,000 metres final at the 1998 European Championships in Athletics in Budapest, Hungary. Pinto's best time in the marathon is 2:06:36. He competed in four consecutive Summer Olympics for his native country, starting in 1988.

Previously a cyclist, Pinto switched to running in 1986. World class over 10,000m, he made the Olympic final in 1988, in only his third year in the sport, captured the European title ten years later in 1998 and added the European record in 1999. But it is at the marathon that he has become best known. A modest seventh place (2:12:39), debut at Carpi in 1991, was only a hint at what was to come.

With a best time for the marathon of 2:06:36, which is an European record for the classic distance, and six other sub 2:09:00 finishes, Pinto is one of the fastest and most consistent marathoners’ of all time. He retired from international competition in 2002. Pinto is married, has two children, and works on his family owned vineyard’s outside Porto.