2016 Human of the Year: Marta Freitas

2016 Human of the Year: Marta Freitas

Marta Freitas' resilience in the face of tragedy makes her FloTrack's human of the year.

Dec 29, 2016 by Taylor Dutch
2016 Human of the Year: Marta Freitas
One of my favorite moments of the year was watching Marta Freitas win the NCAA women's 1500m final in Eugene, Oregon, on June 11. I was standing along the fence at Hayward Field watching her lead the majority of race against the best middle distance runners in the country. By the final homestretch, Freitas was fighting off Elise Cranny for the title in a thrilling kick. She maintained her position all the way into the finish line where she threw her hands up in excitement. 



One week earlier, I got to interview Freitas and write a story about her inspiration behind moving to the United States from her native Portugal. Freitas' father passed away from a heart attack while she was running a race in Lisbon. She was waiting for him to shout her split at the 1000m mark, but she never heard his voice. He collapsed while she was running, and when she crossed the finish line, she saw the medical team surrounding him. 

In memory of her father, Freitas got his signature tattooed on her wrist and made a ritual of kissing the tattoo after crossing the finish line of every race, including her first NCAA title. It's a subtle reminder that no matter what happens on the track, her father would have been proud of her accomplishments. 


While she told me this, I was in shock at her positivity and resilience in the face of a heartbreaking tragedy. After her father passed, Freitas made the decision to move to Starkville, Mississippi, so she could compete for Mississippi State in NCAA competition. 

"I believe that nothing grows in your comfort zone," Freitas told me. "You can either keep digging into the worst things or look with a different perspective--see the bright side of it. Even in the worst things, there is always something good."

This quote stuck with me. Freitas' positive outlook and determination to race in memory of her late father are the reasons why she is my pick for human of the year. She and her father shared track and field together, and instead of letting herself disappear in grief, Freitas made the decision to honor him by pursuing her dream to the fullest. 

As Freitas says, she stopped digging into the worst and chose to find the good. 

After winning the NCAA title, Freitas ran into the media tent and gave me a big hug. We were both overcome with joy knowing what she endured and how far she'd come in pursuit of her dream. It was one of the most rewarding experiences for me while working at FloTrack. 

To me, Freitas is a reminder to keep pushing through the struggle, find the good in every situation, and honor those who helped you get there.