Fernanda Maciel is a Brazilian runner. She has become one of the world’s most experienced ultrarunners. She is famous for being the first female to run up the entirety of Argentina’s Aconcagua mountain, the largest peak in South America. She became the first woman to run the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, running 860km in 10 days, in 2012. She also became the first woman to run up the highest mountain in America, Aconcagua. In 2017, she set a female record up and down Mount Kilimanjaro, all part of her goal to record the female record for the Fastest Known Time on each of the seven summits.
Fernanda Maciel grew up competing in high-level gymnastics, then became a capoeira fighter and a Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion. She now uses that grit to win ultraraces and set speed records on the highest mountains in the world. A specialist in ultra-trail, she notably won the Lavaredo Ultra-Trail in 2011 and the Transgrancanaria in 2012. She also finished second in the 2014 Ultra-Trail World Tour with 577 points. She has been named the best Brazilian runner and athlete by numerous publications.
Where is Fernanda Maciel from?
Fernanda Maciel took birth on 24th January 1980. She is from Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Fernanda is Brazilian-Spanish when it comes to her nationality while her ethnicity is Brazilian-Latino. The runner celebrated her 43rd birthday in 2023. Her gene pool is not one of ultrarunners or climbers, instead, their sporting background comes in the world of martial arts. Her grandfather was a jiu-jitsu champion while her father turned into a master of capoeira. However, her family had to rein in grandpa with regard to martial arts in later life. She added: “My grandfather tried to return to fighting when he was 75, but it was too dangerous!” Initially, she trained as a gymnast and competed in major competitions by the time she turned 10. She then moved on to running when she turned 15.
When Maciel was still in school, she decided to put on her running shoes as the best way to get to class. She explained: “It was faster running than getting the bus and I didn’t want to ask my dad for money for the bus! So, I went there and came back running to my house. It’s built on the hills so it was up and down – that was hard, very steep.”
Fernanda Maciel Career Timeline
- Before committing herself full-time to ultrarunning, Fernanda Maciel worked in the legal field focusing on the environment in her native Brazil. Of that former work, she said: “I don’t miss this, as I chose to leave my job as a lawyer. When you work for the state and the country, you realise that there’s lots of politics involved, so much bureaucratic stuff.”
- Fernanda won the Everest Trail Race in 2013 and between 2009 and 2015, she won four The North Face ultraraces in France, Italy, Japan, and Brazil.
- On a previous Matterhorn attempt, the conditions were so bad that her eyelids were frozen shut and she feared she was going blind. Recalling that moment, she said: “I couldn’t open my eyes and I was alone for three days in this hospital bed. I was in this hospital where no one spoke English. But the second day an Italian nurse and I could speak and she got my mobile to call a friend and explain that I was there. That time I thought I was becoming blind – the scariest moment of my life in that hospital.”
- She became the first woman to run the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, running 860km in 10 days, in 2012. She also became the first woman to run up the highest mountain of America, Aconcagua.
- She came in second at the Ultra Trail World Tour of 2014.
- She has stood on the podium at the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc four times, finished in the top 5 at the Sky Running World Championships in 2017, and also on the 2017 Ultra-Trail World Tour.
- On May 12, 2018, she ran 108 Km length in Penyagolosa Trails; on March 22, 2019, she ran 128 Km in Transgrancanaria in Spain.
- Her personal project, White Flow, documents a series of iconic runs which promote environmental and social issues around the world.
- She appeared in the 2016 film “Aconcagua: A New Chance“. The film follows ultra-marathoner Fernanda Maciel as she travels to Argentina and attempts to become the first woman to climb up and down the highest mountain in South America, Aconcagua (6962m/23.000ft), in less than a day.
Fernanda Maciel Records and Achievements
- 1st, Penyagolosa Ultra Trail World Tour, 2017
- 2nd World Cup Ultra Trail World Tour 2014
- 5th Sky Running World Championship 2016
- 1st, The North Face Endurance Challenge Brazil 2015
- 1st The North Face Ultra Trail Mont Fuji 2016
- 2nd, The North Face Ultra Trail Mont Fuji 2015
- 1st, The North Face TDS Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 2009
- 1st, The North Face Lavaredo Ultra Trail 2011
- 1st, The North Face Transgrancanaria 2012
- 1st, Everest Trail Race 2013
- 4th, Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc 2014
Is Fernanda Maciel married?
Fernanda Maciel seems to be unmarried when it comes to her marital status. Also, she has not mentioned or revealed anything regarding her affairs and relationship to the media. Surfing her Instagram profile, there are no pictures that could be suspected as her husband/boyfriend. Her Instagram is filled with her professional career and she is fully focused on her career rather than being in a relationship. She is straight by sexuality.
Fernanda Maciel does not have children with any man. She is yet to become the biological mother to her kid. According to her website, she is currently residing in Coll de Nargó, Spain.
How much is Fernanda Maciel’s net worth?
Fernanda Maciel is a successful runner who has accumulated a decent sum of money from her professional career. She is making an annual income of around $500K while her main source of wealth comes from her running career.
Fernanda Maciel has an estimated net worth of $1 million as of 2023. She has also worked as an ambassador for Red Bull, The North Face, Compressport, Oakley, and Etixx. However, she is leading a modest lifestyle right now.
How tall is Fernanda Maciel?
Fernanda Maciel is a beautiful lady with an attractive body personality. Being a runner, Fernanda has maintained her body a lot. She has also inked tattoos on her body. She spends around four hours a day training, road cycling, and running, and also works as a nutritionist through her company Run Sports Nutrition. She hasn’t watched TV since 2005, and meditates regularly, occasionally going on 10-day silent retreats.
Fernanda Maciel stands at the perfect height of 5 feet 2 inches. She has got a very charming smile attracting a lot of people towards her. She has brown eye color while her hair color is blonde. She has got a healthy body and she maintains her body a lot. Her body type is athletic.
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