Brasília, February 4, 2004 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - The five Brazilian long-distance runners who won medals at the 79th São Silvestre International Race will be honored by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday (5). The ceremony had been scheduled for today but was postponed when the President cancelled his entire agenda in order to visit municipalities affected by the flooding in the Northeast.

The athletes will meet the President in the Planalto Palace, in Brasília, at 3 P.M. Lula will greet the first and second-place finishers in the men's event, Marilson Gomes dos Santos, from Brasília, and Rômulo Wagner da Silva, from Pará, as well as the third, fourth, and fifth-place finishers in the women's event, Márcia Narloch, from Santa Catarina, Ednalva Laureano, from Paraíba, and Sirlene de Souza Pinho, born in Bahia and based in Santos, São Paulo.

Prior to their meeting with the President, the runners will be received by the Minister of Sports, Agnelo Queiroz. They will discuss the taxes that take a bite out of the remuneration received by professional athletes in Brazil. (DAS)