Ruben Pascal Sança (born December 13, 1986) is a Cape Verdean long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon. He attended and ran for the University of Massachusetts Lowell, after which he began training under Gary Gardner as a member of the Whirlaway Racing Team. Sança is the current Cape Verdean record-holder at 3,000 m indoors at 8:07.50, the 5000 m indoors at 13:56.46, the 5000 m outdoors at 14:05.39, road 5 km at 14:11 and the marathon at 2:18:47. He was one of three members of the 2012 Cape Verdean Olympic team.
Running career At the 2012 Summer Olympics, he competed in the men's 5000 metres, finishing 40th overall in Round 1, failing to qualify for the final. Soon after the London Olympics, he underwent knee surgery to remove a benign tumor in his right knee, which had affected him throughout the Olympics. He returned to the marathon on April 21, 2014, finishing in 21st place with a time of 2:19:05 at the 2014 Boston Marathon.
Major competition record Representing 2009Lusophony Games Lisbon, Portugal6th1500 m3:55.102011New Bedford Half MarathonNew Bedford, United States 1stHalf Marathon1:05:242011Rotterdam MarathonRotterdam, Netherlands17thMarathon2:18:472011World ChampionshipDaegu, South Korea48thMarathon2:34:402011Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas MarathonLas Vegas, United States16thHalf Marathon1:07:142012Olympic Games London, England40th5000 m14:35.192014Lusophony GamesGoa, India 1st5000 m14:28.482014New Bedford Half MarathonNew Bedford, United States 1stHalf Marathon1:05:522014Boston MarathonBoston, United States20thMarathon2:19:052014Twin Cities MarathonMinneapolis, United StatesDNF MarathonInjury at 25 km2014Macau Half MarathonMacau, China 2ndHalf Marathon1:08:192015Boston MarathonBoston, United States24thMarathon2:21:582015BAA Half MarathonBoston, United States8thHalf Marathon1:09:512015Valencia MarathonValencia, SpainDNFMarathonInjury at 30 km2016Jacksonville Half MarathonJacksonville, United States37thHalf Marathon1:06:252016London MarathonLondon, England32ndMarathon2:21:352016Great North RunSouth Shields, England12thHalf Marathon1:05:532016Macau Half MarathonMacau, China 3rdHalf Marathon1:08:422017New Bedford Half MarathonNew Bedford, United States 2ndHalf Marathon1:06:542017Bangkok Midnight MarathonBangkok, Thailand3rdMarathon2:53:172017Baystate MarathonLowell, United States 2ndMarathon2:24:152018New Bedford Half MarathonNew Bedford, United States4thHalf Marathon1:07:432018O'Djo D'Agua Half MarathonSanta Maria, Cape Verde 1stHalf Marathon1:10:522018Boston MarathonBoston, United StatesDNFMarathonHypothermia at 30 km2018Berlin MarathonBerlin, Germany29thMarathon2:21:01
Personal bests DistanceTime (min)DateLocation 1500 m 3:49.17 5 May 2012 Waltham Mile run (indoors) 4:07.37 12 February 2009 Boston 3000 m (indoors) 8:07.50 (NR) 29 January 2011 Boston 5000 m 14:05.39 (NR) 16 April 2012 Walnut 5000 m (indoors) 13:56.46 (NR)30 January 2010 Boston 5 km (road) 14:11 (NR) 25 February 2010 Armagh 10 km (road) 29:54 25 August 2013 Brockton Half Marathon 1:05:24 20 March 2011 New Bedford Marathon 2:18:47 (NR) 10 April 2011 Rotterdam
References
External links
Official website
Ruben Sança: London 2012 Olympian Ruben Sanca Runs to Gold in the Lusofonia Games Interview: Ruben Sanca: UMass Lowell - World Class Runner Training: Emily Maye // Tracksmith: Ruben Sanca Hall of Fame: UMass Lowell: Hall of Fame Speech