Brazilian woman first overall in weekend Disney run

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — For the first time, a woman has won a major half-marathon run in the United States, being the first to cross the finish line ahead of a field that was dominated by women, according to Walt Disney World.

Giovanna Martins of Salta, Brazil won the Disney Wine and Dine Half Marathon with a time of 1:19:16. The first man to cross the line was six seconds behind her.

“To my knowledge, this is the first time a female runner has won a major half marathon race that included both male and female runners,” said race director Jon Hughes. “What I think is amazing is that in the 80s, the race field was only 15% women.

“Fast forward to today and our race participants are nearly 65% female. It’s exciting to see the growth of female participation, and to see women becoming more competitive and making gains in the industry,” said Hughes in a WDW news release.

“It’s a story I’ll tell my family, friends and students. I’ll never forget it,” said Martins of her historic win.