Husband’s surprise for wife in marathon finish line draws outrage

Marathons are a test of endurance, determination, and months of hard training.

For many runners, crossing the finish line is a moment of personal triumph, a time when they can revel in their achievement and the culmination of their hard work.

But what happens when this moment of glory is interrupted by an unexpected family reunion?



This was the scenario that unfolded at a half-marathon in Presidente Prudente, São Paulo, Brazil, and it has sparked a heated debate online about support versus sabotage in competitive sports.

A video that has gone viral shows a woman, clad in all-black athletic gear and sunglasses, approaching the finish line of the race.


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A man was caught encouraging kids to greet a woman finishing a half-marathon. Image source: @sinomar_reporter/TikTok



Just moments before she could cross, two young girls, encouraged by a man believed to be her husband, ran out onto the track to greet her.

Instead of stopping, the determined mother swerves around her children to finish the race, clearly focused on her goal.



After crossing the finish line, the woman is seen screaming with excitement over her achievement, while the man, presumably her husband, appears confused and shrugs at someone off-camera.

The clip concludes with the mother embracing another male racer who finished just after her.

The footage, shared on social media platforms, has drawn criticism from viewers who feel the husband's actions were inconsiderate and potentially dangerous.

One viewer expressed her disdain, saying, 'I don't have the words to describe how much I hate this husband. Let her have one thing without mum guilt.'

Others chimed in, pointing out the inappropriateness of the husband's timing, suggesting that he deliberately chose to send the children before the finish line to force an interaction.

Critics argued that this could have been a deliberate attempt to sabotage the woman's performance or, at the very least, a thoughtless act that could have caused injury or disrupted the race.



‘He tried to sabotage her performance. Has he never been to a competition before?’ another asked, labelling the man’s actions as ‘toxic’.

‘Why would he wait there with the kids? Literally just wait past the finish line,’ someone pointed out.

Marathon runners themselves weighed in, with one stating, 'I've run seven marathons. The best my family is getting from me is a wave. I'm not stopping right before the finish.'

Another humorously added, 'Ready kids? Let's RUIN mommy's time on this race that she's trained MONTHS for!'

The safety concerns were also highlighted, with commenters noting that finish lines can be chaotic and dangerous, especially with runners pushing for personal bests.

The consensus among many was that the family should have waited past the finish line, where they could celebrate safely and without impacting the race's outcome.



‘Why wouldn’t he set the kids up AFTER the finish line? They should be there to CONGRATULATE her on her moment.. not make the moment about them,’ a social media user wrote.

However, not everyone saw the husband's actions as malicious. Some defended him, suggesting he might simply be clueless about race etiquette or that his intentions were to support his wife by involving their children in her special moment.

‘On the fence on this. Dad could just be clueless, but to say he doesn't support his wife,’ someone posted.

While another said: ‘She looks perfectly fine with her kids being there. Stop judging through your own paradigm.'

You can watch the clip here:


Source: @sinomar_reporter/TikTok​

Key Takeaways
  • A man has been criticised online for prompting his children to greet their mother as she was about to finish a half-marathon.
  • The mother, focused on her race, ran around the children to reach the finish line, leading to confusion and a stunned reaction from the man presumed to be her husband.
  • The incident has sparked debate on social media, with some labelling the man's actions as 'toxic' and a form of sabotage, while others defended him, suggesting he may have been unaware of the implications.
  • Commentators have highlighted the importance of respecting the dedication and efforts of athletes, suggesting family celebrations should take place after the finish line, not before.
We'd love to hear your thoughts on this topic. What are your thoughts on the man’s surprise? Have you ever experienced a situation where well-intentioned support turned into an unwelcome distraction? Share your stories and insights in the comments below!
 
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First of all we have to get the full story. This was to be done at the request of the mother before the race started so as she could cross the finish line with her kids. She believed she had no hope of winning the race so this would be Ok. As she approached the finish line she realized she was in first place and there was another runner right on her heals so she didn't do as planned and bypassed the kids to win the race. The kids celebrated with her on the other side of the finish line and everyone was happy. The female man haters that blamed the male automatically without knowing the details need to grow up and find out their facts first.
 

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