Whakaotihia te rerenga e whai ake nei: I wikitoria a De Lima i tana marathon tuatahi i te tau 1996, i riro i a ia te taitara o Tokyo International Marathon. I tae atu ia ki ana whakataetae Olympic Summer tuatahi i taua tau ano, i te oma i te marathon i te
1996 Atlanta Games me te whakaoti i te 47 o nga waahi. Ko tana putanga tuatahi o te ao i whai ake i te tau i muri mai i te 1997 World Championships in Athletics, i reira i mutu ai ia i te 23. I whakatauhia e ia te 2:08:31 i te 1998 Tokyo Marathon, ka mutu i te tuarua i muri i a Alberto Juzdado.