Brazilian Marílson Gomes dos Santos, the South American 5000m, 10,000m and Half Marathon record holder, is heading for the 36th IAAF World Cross Country Championships, Edinburgh, Scotland (30 March 2008), after taking the South American title on Sunday 2 March in Asunción.

Competing at the 2km circuit at the “Parque Ñu Guazú”, the 30-year-old from Brasília, led throughout the race to take the victory in 37:28 over the distance of 12Km, with a 30 second margin over local Jorge Cabrera. Colombian Giovany Amador was third with 38:12.

It was a hot weekend in the middle of the tropical summer of Asunción where conditions were far from what the athletes may face in Edinburgh. The circuit at “Ñu Guazú” had plenty of sand, mud and water and tested the athletes’ endurance in a combination with the high temperatures.

This was Marílson’s first South American Cross Country title. Previously, in 1996, he finished second in the junior race of the event also held in Asunción. As the area champion, Gomes dos Santos earned the right to participate at the World Championships along with the Brazilian team that won the team competition with a 3 point margin over Colombia.