Mother who ignored her kids at half-marathon finish line speaks out against critics

Long-distance runner Luciana Grandi Lourenção addresses viral video that sparked online controversy

The runner who went viral for ignoring her children as she crossed the finish line of a half-marathon race has spoken out about the controversial video.

Last week, the internet was sent into a frenzy after a video showed a father “pushing” his children into the path of their running mother, who was completing a half marathon. The clip had thousands of users claiming the husband “sabotaged” his wife at the finish line by distracting her with their children.

Now, the mother has set the record straight regarding the viral moment. The runner identified herself as Luciana Grandi Lourenção, and addressed her followers in Portuguese. In a video posted to Instagram, Lourenção revealed that she shares her two daughters with her husband, Pedro.

Lourenção – who described herself as a personal trainer, an amateur athlete, and a street runner, according to People – explained that she and her husband decided their daughters would join her as she crossed the finish line. However, Lourenção said there was no way of knowing whether she would finish in first place, and the stakes were heightened because she was only a few steps ahead of another runner.

“There was no way he could have known that the second competitor was very close to me,” Lourenção said in Portuguese. She noted that she was feeling a mix of emotions through the final stretch of the race, which stopped her from pausing to greet her daughters on the sidelines.

She ran the Presidente Prudente Half Marathon in Brazil alongside her brother, Téo Grandi, who she was seen hugging in the video after crossing the finish line. Lourenção also celebrated with her daughters and husband at the winner’s podium, though viewers didn’t witness that moment in the video.

“I would like to have made a nicer arrival with them there, but I know that I will have other opportunities to do this,” she said, before calling Pedro “an excellent husband” and “an incredible father”.

In the caption, she wrote in Portuguese per Instagram’s translation: “I have an amazing family that loves sports. I am grateful for my brother’s referral @teograndi, for my husband @pedrinhohblou, who is a super Dad, and for all the messages of support we have received at this time.

“This race, which did us very well, didn’t finish at the finish line,” Lourenção said.

The now-viral video, which was posted by TikTok user @sinomar_reporter, showed Lourenção running down a hill and racing toward the finish line. Pedro stood on the grassy sidelines and held their daughters’ hands as he encouraged them to walk towards their mom. Instead, she swerved out of their direction and through the finish line banner. At one point, Pedro shrugged at fellow spectators, seemingly confused that she didn’t stop to hug her children before completing the race.

The video, which has received more than 16.5 million views since it was posted on 5 May, sparked an online discussion about women pursuing their passions outside of being mothers.

“As she should!!! What a huge accomplishment for her,” one TikTok user replied. “For ONCE can we NOT interrupt a mom and let her have her darn deserved MOMENT!”

“I’m glad she chose herself,” someone else said.