Brazilian Triathlon's Golden Era, per Viça Saraiva

With more than 35 years dedicated to triathlon and competing since age 13, Viça Saraiva has witnessed firsthand the profound transformations of the sport over the past decades. In a conversation on Stemma Sports' Café com Tri, the seasoned triathlete drew a parallel between today's digital metrics-driven scene and the golden era of the sport in Brazil.

For Viça, the contemporary competitive environment often prioritizes individual PRs at the expense of pure racing spirit. "Nowadays people are chasing empty accomplishments—a record, a PB, an NP. I'd rather win an Ironman in ten hours than take second in 7:30. But people prefer taking second in 7:30 just to post it on Instagram," he noted, highlighting the genuine camaraderie that defined his generation, where fierce rivalries were left strictly between the starting gun and the finish line.

The impact of Leandro Macedo and Alexandre Manzan on the world circuit

When looking back at his greatest inspirations, Viça does not hesitate to name Leandro Macedo and Alexandre Manzan as the top figures in Brazilian triathlon history. Both shaped how the international elite peloton raced throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, going head-to-head with global icons of the sport.

Back then, world-circuit stars like Australia's Greg Bennett and Chris McCormack had to craft specific race tactics to neutralize the Brazilians, who were renowned for their blistering run pace—frequently clocking sub-30-minute 10ks around 29 minutes flat. All this in an era without GPS watches, modern energy gels, or power meters.