Runner whose kids nearly stopped her winning half-marathon defends husband

The Brazilian mum whose kids almost stopped her from winning a half-marathon has defended her husband’s “entitled” behaviour.

The Brazilian mum whose kids almost stopped her from winning a half-marathon has defended her husband from getting all the blame – saying he was merely following her wishes, which unexpectedly changed when she found herself in first place.

Luciana Lourencao, 37, posted a video on Sunday to explain the now-viral moment when her husband, businessman Pedro Lourencao, shoved their young daughters her way as she raced to the finish line of the Presidente Prudente race on May 5, The New York Post reports.

“We decided to take the girls to the race so that I could cross the finish line with them,” the personal trainer said, according to a translation by Newsflash.

“I wasn’t competing for money, it was a race in my city, and I thought it would have been really nice and cool to create this moment with the children,” she said, insisting the decision was hers.

To her surprise, however, Ms Lourencao found herself just seconds away from being the first woman to cross the finish line – with another female runner hot on her trail.

That was the only reason she ran aside her kids as they rushed out with open arms – not because she was angry at them or her husband, whom online critics ripped as being “entitled” and worthy of divorce.

’I thought it would have been really nice and cool to create this moment with the children.’ Picture: TikTok

The mum-of-two went viral for seemingly ignoring her daughters as they ran to hug her. Picture: TikTok

“I needed to get there and that was it. I saw the girls quickly, but I couldn’t stop,” Ms Lourencao said.

“The children understood and were not upset. I explained to them that it is very tiring and difficult to run a half marathon.”

Mr Lourencao, 43, said he finds it too painful looking at the comments on the now-viral video.

“They kept calling me saboteur. But they should know that it was this ‘saboteur’ who made two calls so that Luciana could participate in the race, since registration had ended,” he said.

“I did everything to get her to go. On Sundays, when she goes to train, we are without her, and I am the one who stays with the girls, and I do so with the greatest pleasure.”

Personal trainer Luciana Lourencao pictured with her husband and two daughters.

The woman won the race despite the alleged familial obstacle. Picture: TikTok

Critics were even further off the mark with wild guesses about a bald man Ms Lourencao was seen hugging at the end of the race before turning back to her husband and kids, the shocked mum said.

It was not a secret lover – just her brother.

“He ran with me just to give me support and encouragement,” she said.

“He ‘braked’ just before the finish line, so as not to steal my shine. He was the one I hugged.”

This article originally appeared on The New York Post and was reproduced with permission