'Saboteur': Mum defends husband who shoved kids in her path during race

The husband also revealed his side of the story - but has he made it even worse for himself? 

A mum whose kids were shoved out in front of her by their dad as she was approaching the finish line of a half-marathon, has now defended him against the fierce international backlash.

Luciana Lourencao, 37, posted a video to her Instagram to explain why her husband, Pedro Lourencao, pushed their daughters into her path as she approached the finish line to win race.

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"I wanted to cross the line with them"

“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 news.com.au.

“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.” 

Ms Lourencao was not expecting to be the first woman to complete the event. When she realised she would be, with another runner close behind her, she dodged her kids, whom their dad had pushed towards her.

“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.”

Image: TikTok and Instagram/ @lu_grandi

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"They keep calling me saboteur"

Mr Lourencao, 43, has been deeply upset by the world's interpretation of his actions.

“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.”

All over social media, critics have been responding harshly to the footage.

“This is a reallllly good example of the subtle way that some husbands treat their wives,” one person wrote.

“I can just hear him say, ‘I had to babysit the kids’ for an hour and 40 minutes and you couldn’t even stop to give them a hug?’” said another.

And this comment is another example: "He couldn’t let her have that moment? She’s clearly worked hard for it. I’d have a divorce lawyer on the phone before the car got home."

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Image: Instagram/ @lu_grandi

The kids being pushed on to the track was not the only controversial moment that viewers noticed, so the mum also explained that the man she was seen hugging at the end of the race, before turning to her husband and kids, was her brother - not anyone 'suspicious'.

“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.”

Originally published as 'Saboteur': Mum defends husband who shoved kids in her path during race