Timor’s Juventina NAPOLEAO runs personal best in Olympics marathon

Juventina finished 106 out of 107 runners who completed the women's marathon. 12 runners did not finish. 106  NAPOLEAO Juventina Time  3:05:07 PB Km      Rk      Time   TBL 5       116   20:39      +3:19 10      115   42:20      +7:34 15      115  1:03:56   +11:46 20      114   1:25:30   +16:04 Half    114   1:30:06   +16:53 25       111    1:46:55  +20:32 30      107      2:08:31  +25:47 35      107      2:31:18  +31:49 40      106      2:54:37  +38:27 Finish  106      3:05:07  +42:00 http://www.london2012.com/athletics/event/women-marathon/index.html

Air Timor sponsors the 2012 Dili Marathon

Air Timor fo Suporta ba Marathona Dili   Ohin Presidente da Republika, Dr. J. Ramos Horta anunsia apoiu husi Air Timor ba Marathona Dili 2012 iha konferensia ba impresa hamutuk ho reprezentante Air Timor iha Timor-Leste. Air Timor nudar aviaun uniko nebe hala’o operasaun direitamente husi Dili ba Singapura. Premiadu Nobel da paz ne’e agradese kontinuasaun apoiu nebe Air Timor fo ba ‘Marathona ba Paz’ tinan ada ne’e: “Obrigadu ba Air Timor no sponsor sira seluk nebe suporta Dili Marathona nebe sai hanesan eventu bo’ot liu iha Historia Timor-Leste nian. La’os ida ne’e deit maibe Air Timor kontinua suporta atleta Timor oan no siklista sira hodi ba partisipa iha eventu internasional hanesan Marathona Tokyo no kompetisaun kampeonatu Bisikleta rota iha Malaysia. Eventu ne’e hatudu progresu Timor-Leste iha area desportiva nebe diak no fo korajen ba juventude sira atu kompete ho diak.” Air Timor sei kontribui liu USD $11.000 in-kind (la’os osan maibe hanesan fasilita viajen ba atleta sira no seluk tan) ba Marathona Dili, nune’e Atleta Timor bele kontinua reprezenta sira nia nasaun iha eventu internasional. Ed Turner, Managing Director husi Air Timor hato’o katak: Air Timor kontenti atu kontinua hanesan sponsor ba Marathona Dili no Tour de Timor, nomos eventu desportiva sira seluk desde eventu ne’e hahu. Ami espera katak tinan ida ne’e dala ida tan prova suksesu no hatur Timor-Leste iha arena Internasional liu husi eventu desportiva ida ne’e”. Quaze atleta nain 300 mak antisipa hodi tau naran ba metade no full Marathona inklui Sra. Yuko Arimori, manan nain medalha Ouro Olympico husi Japaun nebe foin lalais ne’e simu atleta elit Timor-Leste hodi partisipa iha Marathona Tokyo iha Japaun. Atleta hotu-hotu hetan korajen atu partisipa iha festival halai taru ida ne’e, nebe kompostu husi metade Marathona (21 Km), 10 Km, 5 Km no distansia nebe dook liu mak 42.195 Km. Registrasaun liu husi internet loke tiha ona no rejistrasaun lokal iha Timor-Leste bele hala’o iha Palacio Governo nia oin iha 28 de Abril no 5 de Maiu. Registrasaun grupo nian bele halo iha Plaacio Presidente. Atu hetan informasaun barak liu tan bele V=visita website official: www.dilimarathon.com ka Visita website Presidente: www.presidenttimorleste.tl Karik iha buat ruma nebe ladun klaru konaba eventu ne’e bele kontatu Sean Borrell, PR Manager, liu husi email borrellsean@hotmail.com ka telephone (+670) 738 2208. english PRESS RELEASE Friday 27 April 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Air Timor sponsors the 2012 Dili Marathon The President of the Republic, Dr J.Ramos-Horta today announced Air Timor's sponsorship of the 2012 Dili Marathon in a joint press conference with Air Timor's Timor-Leste representatives. Air Timor is the only airline to provide direct flights from Dili to Singapore.   The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate thanked Air Timor for the ongoing support of the 'Marathon for Peace': “This year, thanks to Air Timor and other sponsors the Dili Marathon will be the biggest running event ever in Timor-Leste's history. Not only that but Air Timor continues to support Timor-Leste's runners and cyclists in attending overseas events – such as the Tokyo Marathon and the Asian Road Bike Championship Races in Malaysia. These events demonstrate Timor-leste's progress in the pursuit of sporting excellence and also encourage our youth to compete with the best of the best.” Air Timor will contribute over USD$11,000 in-kind towards the Dili marathon, enabling Timorese athletes to continue representing their nation at overseas events. Ed Turner, Managing Director of Air Timor said " Air Timor is pleased to continue to being a sponsor of the Dili Marathon and Tour de Timor, and other special sporting events since its commencement. We hope this year will once again proof a success and further put Timor-Leste in the international arena for such sporting events". Around 300 runners are anticipated to register for the half and the full marathon including Ms. Yuko Arimori, a Japanese olympic gold medallist, who recently welcomed Timor-Leste's top runners to Japan to participate in the Tokyo marathon. Runners of all levels are encouraged to join the running festival, which features a half-marathon (21km), 10km and 5km event in addition to the grueling 42.195km headline distance. Online Registration for the event is open and local registration in Timor-Leste can be made opposite the Palacio Governu on the 28th of April, the 5th of May. Group Registrations can be made at the Office of the President.     Visit the official website: www.dilimarathon.com for more info. Visit the President's website: www.presidenttimorleste.tl Event Enquiries: please contact Sean Borrell, PR Manager, via email borrellsean@hotmail.com or phone (+670) 738 2208.

Sunrise Joint Venture backs the Dili Marathon and National squad

For release 26 April 2012   Sunrise Joint Venture announced today in a joint press conference at the Presidential Palace their sponsorship of USD$ 50,000 for the 2012 Dili Marathon and the Timor-Leste National Long Distance Running Squad. President of the Republic, Dr. Jose Ramos Horta welcomed Mr. Brendan Augustin, the Sunrise Joint Venture Timor-Leste representative, and thanked him and all of the companies involved in SJV for their ongoing support of the Dili Marathon: “Every year since the Dili Marathon's inception, Sunrise Joint Venture has supported the Dili Marathon. Since 2010 this financial assistance has been invaluable in helping Timor-Leste's best runners. These young men and women have already achieved many of their goals and now are set to inspire a whole new generation to compete at the world's highest levels. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Sunrise Joint Venture for their commitment to our athletes and ask that they continue their support in the future.”   This year's event promises to be the biggest yet with an anticipated ten thousand Timorese from across the country participating in the four races. Mr. Augustin of Sunrise Joint Venture said of the event: ‘The Sunrise Joint Venture is pleased to support the 2012 ‘City of Peace’ Dili Marathon and remains committed to continuing to build positive connections with the Timor-Leste community. The Sunrise Joint Venture recognises the importance of such a significant sporting event, which uses sport to bring about positive social and health benefits to the community while also promoting peace, youth engagement, education, gender equity and economic development’.   This will be the third Dili City of Peace Marathon and it will be held on Saturday 12 May, starting and finishing in front of the picturesque and historical ‘Palacio de Governo’ on Dili’s foreshore. The event includes a full (42km) marathon, a half (21km) marathon and a ten and five km “run for peace”. The half and full marathons are timed, registered and accredited as an IAAF standard race: it is able to be used to qualify for further IAAF marathon and for world records.   Online Registration is available through the website or on Saturday afternoons in front of the Palacio Governu (1400hrs until 1700hrs): www.dilimarathon.com.   Or contact Sean Ferguson-Borrell (PR Manager) on +670 7382208   www.presidenttimorleste.tl     Sunrise Joint Venture fila ba Marathona Dili no Squadra Nasional Atu publika iha 26 Abril 2012 Sunrise Joint Venture ohin anunsia iha konferensia ba imprensa konjunta iha Palacio Presidente konaba sira nia apoiu ho montante $ 50,000 ba Marathona Dili no Squadra Halai ba Distansia dook Nasional Timor-Leste.   Presidente da Republika, Dr. Jose Ramos Horta hato’o bemvindo no agradese ba reprezentante Sunrise Joint Venture iha Timor-Leste Sr. Brendan Augustin no compana hotu-hotu nebe involve iha SJV ba sira nia suporta nebe sempre fo ba Marathona Dili.   “Sunrise Joint Venture suporta ona Marathona Dili tinan-tinan desde eventu ne’e hahu. Desde 2010 asistensia importante ne’e finansia no ajuda ona atleta elit Timor-oan sira. Foinsae feto no mane sira ne’e atinji ona sira nia objetivu barak no oras ne’e sira prepara an hela atu inspira jerasaun tomak atu kompete iha nivel nebe as iha mundo. Hau hakarak aproveita oportunidade ida ne’e hodi hato’o obrigadu ba Sunrise Joint Venture nia komitmentu ba ita nia atleta sira no husu sira atu kontinua fo suporta nafatin iha futuru.”   Eventu ba tinan ida ne’e sei sai hanesan eventu nebe bo’ot liu ho prezensa Timor-oan nain 10.000 husi Timor-laran tomak nebe sei partisipa iha kompetisaun haat.   Sr. Augustin husi Sunrise Joint Venture hatete ba eventu ne’e katak; “ Sunrise Joint Venture ho laran ksolok fo suporta ba Marathona “Dili Cidade de Paz” 2012 no iha nafatin komitmentu hodi dezenolve relasaun positivu ho komunidade iha Timor-Leste. Sunrise Venture rekonhese importansia husi eventu desportiva signifikante ne’e, nebe aproveita desportu atu lori benefisiu positivu konaba saude no social ba komunidade nomos promove paz, involvimentu jovens, edukasaun, igualidade jeneru no dezenvolvimentu ekonomia.”   Ida ne’e sei sai hanesan Marathona “Dili Cidade de Paz’” datoluk nebe sei hala’o iha Sabadu 12 de Maiu, hahu no remata iha palacio do Governo nebe nakonu ho historia nia oin iha tasi ibun. Eventu ne’e inklui Full Marathona (42 Km), Metade Marathona (21 Km) no Halai ba Dame 5 km no 10 km. Metade no Full Marathona sei hala’o tuir standar kompetisaun IAAF nia tempu, acreditadu no registradu nebe sei bele uza ba qualifikasaun Marathona IAAF no record mundo nian.   Registrasaun bele hala’o liu husi website ka iha Palacio Governo nia oin Sabadu Lorokraik (tuku 2.00 to’o tuku 5.00): www.dilimarathon.com. ou kontaktu Sean Ferguson-Borrell (PR Manager) on +670 7382208. www.presidenttimorleste.tl  

Dishonest Reporting misrepresents Timor-Leste’s path to Olympics

The Reuters reportage recently released over the weekend has misrepresented athletes statements and twisted context to portray Timor-Leste as a state that does not care for its youth, its athletes and its sporting ambitions.   “The truth of the matter is that since 2009 Timorese runners and cyclists have received a lot of support as opposed to the past when there was very little. Not only this but the financial and in kind support for these athletes has grown year on year. All of the national cycling and running squads have received new equipment – be it shoes, bikes, jerseys. Since the 5th of March the national running squad has been based out of a training center in Dili – they have received food, nutritional supplements and whatever liquids they have requested”, the Public Relations Manager for the “Dili, City of Peace International Events”, Mr. Sean Ferguson-Borrell said.   Mr. Ferguson-Borrell went onto say “Just over $31,000 was utilized to support the National team of 18 athletes for three months prior to the inaugural DIli Marathon in 2010. The money went towards accommodation, food, transport and equipment costs. In 2011, our support of athletes increased to $42,000 and this year will be a similar amount. With regard to the report I have spoken with Augusto Ramos and Afranio Amaral – they both assert that the statements in which they are quoted have been twisted for poorly written and researched reportage. Augusto laughed at the idea that he trains with torn sneakers – and I am sure he would rather concentrate on representing his country later this year at the London Olympics.”   Reporters are invited to visit the athletes training center or to meet Afranio Amaral at their own leisure to accurately report the preparations for the Dili Marathon, the Tour de Timor and the London Olympics.   Runners of all levels are encouraged to join the running festival, which features a half-marathon (21km), 10km and 5km event in addition to the grueling 42.195km headline distance. Online Registration for the event opened on 21 March. Registration in Timor-Leste can be made at the Office of the President during working hours or opposite the Palacio Governo on the 28th of April and 5th of May.

Timor Telecom sponsors the 2012 Dili Marathon

The President of the Republic, Dr J. Ramos-Horta today announced Timor Telecom's Gold Level Sponsorship of the 2012 Dili Marathon. He invited athletes to participate in the Dili 'City of Peace' Marathon - the third marathon in Asia's newest nation - to be held on Saturday 12 May this year. The event will see thousands compete alongside Timor's top running talent, who have hit the training track in preparation for the landmark sporting event.   The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate thanked Mr. Amaro, the CEO of Timor Telcom, for the ongoing support for  the 'Marathon for Peace'. “This year, thanks to Timor Telecom and other sponsors, the Dili Marathon will have over 10,000 youth participating in the two fun runs of the race. They will join me on the course as we pass through the sucos of Dili in a celebration of peace.”   Mr. Amaro went on to say: “Timor Telecom has supported all of the Presidential events such as the Com Fishing Festival and the Ramelau Cultural Festival. The support for the sporting events under the Dili City of Peace campaign has been a key part in ensuring that the President of the Republic initiatives continue toconsilidate peace and promote tourism in Timor-Leste.”     Around 300 runners are anticipated to register for the half and the full marathon including Ms. Yuko Arimori, a Japanese olympic gold medallist, who recently welcomed Timor-Leste's top runners to Japan to participate in the Tokyo marathon.     Runners of all levels are encouraged to join the running festival, which features a half-marathon (21km), 10km and 5km event in addition to the grueling 42.195km headline distance. Online Registration for the event opens on 21 March. Registration in Timor-Leste can be made at the Office of the President during working hours or opposite the Palacio Governu on the 5th of May or the 28th of April.     Visit the President's website: www.presidenttimorleste.tl     Event Enquiries: please contact Sean Borrell, PR Manager, via email borrellsean@hotmail.com or phone (+670) 738 2208.

Timorese runners shine amongst world’s best in Tokyo Marathon

Augusto Ramos Soares fought off cramps and hypothermia to successfully complete the Tokyo Marathon 2012 in a time of 2hr.33,46. Juventina Napoleao showed fantastic form finishing the 42.195km race in a solid 3hr.05,15. Both runners have successfully qualified for the chance to represent their country at the London Olympics. It was a beautiful day in Tokyo for the thousands of people who lined the streets with cheers of support and the runners from Timor-Leste started the first of nine laps of the Tokyo Marathon's course. Despite the cold weather both runnners have staked their claim to represent Timor-Leste in the Olympics later this year. As it turned out, Augusto and Juventina weren’t the only ones competing for a berth in the London Olympics – the Tokyo marathon doubles as a trial race for the Japanese national team selection. Ramos Soares and Juventina Napoleao yesterday set several bench-marks as they became the first Timorese to compete in the Tokyo Marathon. Ramos Soares’s result,was just off his personal best of 2:31:54. However it was Juventina who ran her best time ever. Beating her previous efforts by over three minutes. The project to send Juventina and Augusto to Tokyo was a collaboration between the Office of the President, the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport (SEJD) in Timor-Leste and the Japanese JENESYS programme. As a corollary to the event, Miss Arimori, former Olympic medallist from Japan will be joining the Dili ‘City of Peace’ Marathon to be held on May 12 this year – one week before celebrations of the 10th anniversary of independence in Timor-Leste. The spirit, determination and ability of Augusto Ramos Soares and Juventina Napoleao demonstrate that the question is not whether Timor-Leste will have its first international marathon podium finish but when. PR Manager Sean Ferguson-Borrell +670 7382208 www.presidenttimorleste.tl Athletes times in Tokyo: http://p.tokyo42195.org/numberfile/23285.html http://p.tokyo42195.org/numberfile/50084.html

Timor-Leste elite runners prepare for 2012

Díli, 18 February - The President of the Republic, Dr José  Ramos-Horta today invited Timorese athletes to participate in the 2012 National Selections Race.  The 21 km. selection race will be held later this month on the 25 th of February but in the meantime Timor-Leste's top male and female runners, Agusto Ramos Soares and Juventina Napoleaon, are on their way to the Tokyo Marathon with the hope of qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics. The 2012 National Selections Race gives the opportunity to the top twelve Timorese runners (six women and six men) to receive special support from the National Athletics Federation and the Office of the President to assist them in preparation for the third Dili Marathon. All eyes are on runners Agusto and Juventina though, in their crucial race in Japan: which decides whether they make the cut for the London Olympics. The runners will be the first Timorese to ever race in the Tokyo marathon, which is one of the biggest in Asia. Thanks to Dentsu Sports Asia they will also meet former Olympian Ms. Yuko Arimori of Japan (who will receive an official invitation from the President of the Republic to attend the 2012 Dili marathon) and they will also get the chance to stay on in Japan for a few days following the race, being hosted by Japanese familys. The Nobel Peace Prize Laureate proudly announced the 'Run for Peace', an initiative to "build bridges through sports, to build peace in the country, to build fraternity between this country, our people, and peoples around the world. Our athletes show the world that Timor-Leste has regained peace, tranquility, safety. They are also examples to their peers and their nation of what dedication, tenacity and self belief can bring as rewards. The Dili Marathon will involve over 10,000 youth and adults in a celebration of peace, international friendship and athletic excellence and I hope that in the future these numbers will grow".  The President went on to invite all runners, "Timorese and fellow friends from [around the world], wherever you are, to come and join us in our beautiful island, island of peace, island of friendship'. Runners of all levels are encouraged to join the 2012 Dili Marathon, which features a half-marathon (21km), 10km and 5km events in addition to the grueling 42.195km headline distance. Registration for the event opens on 12 March. See the related video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ElTQSdZzCE Visit the official website: www.dilimarathon.com for more info. Event Enquiries: please contact Sean Borrell, PR Manager, via email borrellsean@hotmail.com or phone (+670) 738 2208

Timorese women bring it home

The President of the Republic, Dr José Ramos-Horta sent the half and full marathon runners off at 6:30am. 3h08:28 later, Juventina Napoleao, last year’s champion female, defended her title with a sterling finish. Among the men Sammy Kiptoo of Kenya was victorious with a course record time of 2h20:06, beating out local hero Augusto Ramos Soares who set his own personal best with 2h31:54. Read More

Timorese national squad up for the challenge

Dili, 17 June (PPT) Since the national selections in March, 10 male and 10 female runners have been living, eating and training under the guidance of the National Athletics Federation. The squad has been formed for a second year running and is once again supported by the Sunrise Joint Venture. Read More

International Marathon ramping up in Dili

More and more support banners are going up, foreign runners are trickling in, locals are getting to the business end of their training, school kids are getting excited for their Saturday morning off and Dili-based politicians, ambassadors and sponsors are all getting ready to attend the biggest local running event of the year. Read More