The 'Race of the Most Extraordinary', which took place on May 28, was attended by 35 athletes with special needs.

The race, part of the 3rd Maputo International Half Marathon, was sponsored by the Maputo Port Development Company (MPDC).

Children and young people with special needs such as autism and Down's syndrome ran alongside their parents, guardians, teachers and supporters of the cause of inclusion, showing that they are capable of overcoming challenges, particularly in sport.

Alston Massinga and Sandra Malunga, who attend the Centro de Educação e Reabilitação de Cidadãos Inadaptados (CERCI), were the big winners of the race, in the men's and women's categories respectively.

In a race where everyone was a champion, there were also children and young people from the Portuguese School of Mozambique, Woodrose International/Archer Sarmento Foundation and some athletes from the 'Porto +' project, an inclusive employment initiative promoted by the Port of Maputo that has already given jobs to 18 people with various types of disability.

The 'Race of the Most Extraordinary' is a pioneering initiative aimed at promoting the social inclusion of people with special needs through the visibility and media coverage of the Maputo International Half Marathon, considered to be the main athletics event in the country.

The Port of Maputo has been supporting causes linked to social inclusion since 2011, being at the forefront of various projects such as 'Porto +'.

In this way, the Port of Maputo aims to "normalize" disability, making an impact on society as a whole and encouraging more companies to follow this example of labour inclusion.

The Port of Maputo is thus positioning itself as "A Port made of Extraordinaries", the motto that guides the 20-year anniversary campaign that the organization is celebrating this year.