Ecuadoran Olympic sprinter Alex Quinonez was shot dead in the port city of Guayaquil, authorities have said, sparking an outpouring of grief in a country struggling to contain a surge in violence.
Quinonez, 32, and another person were found dead close to midnight on Friday, police said.
Ecuadoran President Guillermo Lasso promised to bring the sprinter’s killers to justice.
Photo: AFP
“Those who take the lives of Ecuadoreans will not remain unpunished. We will act with force,” Lasso wrote on Twitter.
The provincial governor likewise pledged accountability for the murders.
“No one will rest until @PoliciaEcuador captures the culprits. We are facing a war against drug gangs that intend to subdue us,” Guayas Governor Pablo Arosemena said on Twitter.
Photo: Reuters
The country’s sports ministry confirmed Quinonez’s killing on Twitter, paying tribute to the “greatest sprinter this country produced.”
“We have lost a great sportsman, someone who allowed us to dream, who moved us,” the ministry said.
Quinonez held Ecuador’s record for 200m with a time of 19.87 seconds.
He was a finalist in the 2012 London Games, achieving seventh place after competing in the semi-finals in the lane next to Usain Bolt, the fastest sprinter in history.
The Ecuadoran Olympic Committee said that the death of Quinonez “leaves us with profound pain” and that his “legacy will forever stay in our hearts.”
The sprinter’s body was due to return to his hometown of Esmeraldas on Saturday night.
A tribute yesterday was to see the athlete’s coffin placed in a burning chapel in a soccer stadium in the town, the sports ministry said.
Quinonez’s killing comes as violence has spiked dramatically in Ecuador in the past few months.
From January to this month, the country registered almost 1,900 homicides, compared with about 1,400 in the whole of last year, the government said.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
One of Malaysia’s top soccer clubs has pulled out of today’s season-opening Charity Shield after a spate of assaults, including an acid attack, on players in the country. It leaves the kickoff of Malaysia’s season this weekend under a cloud following the unprecedented acts of violence against players, which have left the country shocked and angry. Authorities said they have imposed tighter security, but Selangor said that they would not play in the showpiece curtain-raiser against Malaysian Super League champions Johor Darul Ta’zim (JDT) citing “a series of criminal incidents and recent threats.” Selangor and Malaysia winger Faisal Halim is in intensive care