A middle-aged Irish marathon runner has told how ex-Brazil star Kaka fist bumped him as he passed the World Cup winner at the Berlin marathon.
John Casey, 58, left Kaka, 40, trailing just like the Brazilian used to do to defenders when at AC Milan and Real Madrid.
A brilliant photograph captured the moment when an exhausted John, from Cork, nipped in front during his first ever marathon – while on a trip to visit his son Jack in Berlin.
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John yesterday revealed that the pair fist-bumped each other just a moment earlier during the gruelling 42-kms (26 mile) marathon.
He said he was “in pain” at the time and revealed: “I passed him at mile 21. I call it the Covid handshake where you do a fist-bump.
“We exchanged fist-bumps as we were passing and we smiled.
“The photograph has gone viral. The last 48 hours have been absolutely mad. Kaka seemed like a really nice guys, there are no airs and graces about him. He’s a world star, but he had a great way with the crowd.”
The 2007 Ballon d’Or winner Kaka hung up the boots back in 2017 and is keeping up his fitness by doing some long distance running.
But he was unable to keep pace with Togher athlete John.
John clocked in at an impressive three hours, 30 minutes, and 29 seconds with Kaka running a further eight minutes behind, finishing on three hours and 38 minutes.
He told Claire Byrne on RTE Radio One’s Today Show: “I’m really grateful to my athletics club Togher AC for all the support.
“I was in the age 55-60 category and I will be 59 next month.
“I started running in parks 10 years ago and then joined Togher and I couldn’t have done this without them.
“Running clears the head and I want to run another marathon. This was one was on the bucket list. I’ve got the running bug.”
Race winner was Eliud Kipchoge, from Kenya, broke the world record and set a new marathon best by beating his own time, storming home in just two hours, one minute, and nine seconds.
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