Luanda — About 2,500 national and foreign athletes are registered for the 67th edition of the traditional end-of-year pedestrian race, called São Silvestre, to be held in several streets of Luanda, Angola's capital city.

The information was given to ANGOP on Tuesday by the president of the Angolan Athletics Federation, Bernardo João, who said that registration closes today.

According to the official, of the foreign participants, those from The Gambia, Kenya, Ethiopia, South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Namibia, Eswatine, Mauritius and Malawi confirmed their presence.

He said that he is waiting for the communication of competitors from Portugal, Macau, Brazil and Spain.

The last edition was won by Raphael Olekei (Kenya), in men's, while in women's the victory went to Angolan Ernestina Paulino, a race that had 10,000 athletes.

"São Silvestre de Luanda" race has been held on 31 December since 1954 and has been interrupted only twice, in 1961 and 1978.

In 2021, it was exceptionally played in March 2022, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

World track and field stars have already participated in the race, such as Haile Gebrselassie (2011 edition), Zersenay Tadese (2013) and Priscah Jeptoo, women's champion of the London and New York Marathon.

The starting gun takes place at 6 pm on the 31st, covering the route of Amílcar Cabral, Revolução de Outubro and Ho-Chi-Minh avenues, Manuel Van-Dúnem avenues, Kinaxixi Square, Mission streets, Cirilo da Conceição, 4 de Fevereiro Avenue, Baleizão Square, Francisco das Necessidades Street, ending at the Coqueiros Stadium. JAD/FN/CF/DOJ