Family searches for former Olympic marathon runner missing for over a month Wagner Carmo/CBAt Former Olympic marathon runner Daniel Ferreira do Nascimento, aged 28, was found alive this Saturday (1st), in the East Zone of São Paulo, after being missing for 44 days. He disappeared on June 19, when he was last seen in Paraguaçu Paulista, in the interior of the state, the city where he lived with his family since he was suspended from athletics for doping, in 2024. Daniel was recognized by a pedestrian on Rua Dr. Ubaldino do Amaral, in Belenzinho. The man called the Metropolitan Civil Guard (GCM), which checked the data. The athlete appeared to be physically well and confirmed his identity. He was taken to the 30th Police District, in Tatuapé, and the family went to the police station to meet him again. At the time of his disappearance, his mother, Valdirene de Paula Ferreira, told g1 that Daniel left home around 7pm carrying only a black backpack. Since then, family members have mobilized campaigns on social media and made successive appeals for information that could help locate the former marathon runner. Last week, on the eve of her son's birthday, celebrated on July 29, Valdirene reported the anguish experienced by the family for more than a month without news. She stated that, after leaving the sport, Daniel began to face mental health problems. According to his mother, he remained under the care of the family and accompanied them daily to work at a cassava processing company. "He was with me, under my care. I went to work and he went with me. He was always a good boy", he reported. Valdirene also said that, even away from competitions, her son missed his athlete routine: "Sometimes I took him for a run. He did some training sessions hidden in the middle of the sugarcane field. I think he really missed his athlete routine." Career Daniel Ferreira do Nascimento represented Brazil at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, and established himself as one of the main names in the Brazilian marathon. He is also the South American record holder for the race. In 2024, however, he was suspended from athletics for doping. After leaving competitions, he returned to live with his family in Paraguaçu Paulista. According to the mother, it was during this period that she began to face mental health problems. Eliud Kipchoge runs alongside Brazilian Daniel Nascimento Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile Brazilian Olympic marathoner Daniel Nascimento has been missing since June