Ana Dulce Felix

Ana Dulce Félix

Félix running the 2012 Olympic marathon
Personal information
Full name	Ana Dulce Ferreira Félix
Born	(1982-10-23) 23 October 1982 (age 34) Guimarães Municipality, Portugal
Height	1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight	52 kg (115 lb)
Sport
Country	Portugal
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Marathon
Club	Benfica
Coached by	Maria Sameiro Araújo
Medal record Representing  Portugal World Cross Country Championships 2009 Amman Team European Athletics Championships 2012 Helsinki 10,000 m 2016 Amsterdam 10,000 m European Cross Country Championships 2008 Brussels Team 2009 Dublin Team 2010 Albufeira Team 2011 Velenje Individual 2011 Velenje Team 2012 Szentendre Individual 2010 Albufeira Individual 2013 Belgrade Individual

Ana Dulce Ferreira Félix, ComM (born 23 October 1982) is a Portuguese long distance runner who competes in track, cross country, and road running events. She ran the Olympic marathon in 2012 and 2016 and placed 21st and 16th, respectively.

Born in Azurém, Guimarães Municipality, Félix began her career as a junior at the 2000 and 2001 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, although she did not break the top 60 runners on either occasion. She finished 31st at the 2001 European Cross Country Championships.

She was disheartened by her performances at international level and doubted whether she could be a runner of a professional standard. She began working in a low-paid job at a clothes factory but still trained despite the long hours and tiring nature of the work. Another Portuguese runner, Jessica Augusto, urged her quit the job and to focus full-time on her running. She followed the advice and had some success on the national stage in 2007, winning the 10,000 metres Portuguese title. Félix began to establish herself on the international athletics scene the following year: she finished 72nd at the 2008 IAAF World Cross Country Championships, but had a much better outing at the 2008 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships where she finished 13th (the second fastest European-born runner after Luminița Talpoș).

The 2009 season proved to be a significant progression in her career. At the 2009 IAAF World Cross Country Championships she finished in 15th place to lead the Portuguese women to a team bronze medal. Félix won the Great Ireland Run in April, setting a personal best of 32:18 over the 10 km distance. She won the Göteborgsvarvet half marathon that May and won a bronze medal at the European Cup 10,000m the following month. After a fifth-place finish in the 5000 metres at the 2009 European Team Championships, she was entered into the 10,000 metres at the 2009 World Championships in Athletics. In the event final she ran a then personal best of 31:30.90 for 13th place. After this she enjoyed a successful run of road and cross country competitions: she was third at the Great North Run and second at both the Portugal Half Marathon (setting a half marathon best of 1:10:44) and the Great South Run.