▁gold ▁medal ▁in ▁the ▁mar athon ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 1 ▁Pan ▁American ▁Games . ▁ ▁Da ▁Silva ▁worked ▁as ▁a ▁waste ▁collect or ▁in ▁Pen á pol is ▁during ▁his ▁tw ent ies ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁not ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 2 7 , ▁that ▁he ▁became ▁interested ▁in ▁athlet ics . ▁Upon ▁the ▁suggestion ▁of ▁his ▁wife , ▁he ▁entered ▁a ▁local ▁race ▁held ▁in ▁honor ▁of ▁Saint ▁Francis ▁of ▁Ass isi . ▁Although ▁it ▁was ▁his ▁first ▁attempt ▁at ▁compet ing ▁over ▁long ▁distances , ▁he ▁surprised ▁himself ▁by ▁finishing ▁in ▁third ▁place . ▁ ▁The ▁following ▁year ▁he ▁entered ▁a ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0 ▁metres ▁track ▁race ▁in ▁Rio ▁de ▁Janeiro ▁and ▁won ▁in ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 2 9 : 3 9 . 7 2 ▁minutes . ▁At ▁the ▁São ▁Paulo ▁Half ▁Mar athon ▁Cor p ore ▁in ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁he ▁came ▁third , ▁then ▁he ▁stepped ▁up ▁in ▁distance ▁to ▁make ▁his ▁debut ▁in ▁the ▁full ▁mar athon ▁a ▁month ▁later . ▁He ▁surprised ▁the ▁field ▁at ▁the ▁Porto ▁A leg re ▁Mar athon ▁by ▁winning ▁on ▁his ▁first ▁attempt ▁in ▁a ▁time ▁of ▁ 2 : 1 5 : 4 5 ▁hours . ▁Under ▁the ▁guidance ▁of ▁two - time ▁Olymp ian ▁Cl odo al do ▁do ▁Car mo , ▁da ▁Silva ▁represented ▁Esp orte ▁Cl ube ▁Pin he iros ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 0 , 0 0 0