Olympic sprinter Alex Quiñónez, 32, fatally shot in Ecuador

Muri Assunção

Ecuadorian Olympic sprinter Alex Quiñónez was fatally shot Friday in the port city of Guayaquil.

The death of the 32-year-old was confirmed by the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee and the Ecuadorian Athletics Federation.

From left, Ecuador's Alex Quinonez, Jamaica's Usain Bolt, Brazil's Aldemir da Silva Junior and South Africa's Anaso Jobodwana compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games.
From left, Ecuador's Alex Quinonez, Jamaica's Usain Bolt, Brazil's Aldemir da Silva Junior and South Africa's Anaso Jobodwana compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games.


From left, Ecuador's Alex Quinonez, Jamaica's Usain Bolt, Brazil's Aldemir da Silva Junior and South Africa's Anaso Jobodwana compete in the London 2012 Olympic Games. (JEWEL SAMAD/)

“The surprising departure of the bronze medalist of the last World Athletics World Cup [in Doha, Qatar in 2019] leaves a deep pain, but his legacy as the greatest sprinter in our history will forever remain in our hearts,” the committee tweeted Saturday morning.

According to the Ecuadorian newspaper El Universo, Quiñónez was shot Friday night under circumstances that “have not yet been clarified.”

One other man was also killed in the incident.

In this file photo taken on Oct. 1, 2019 Ecuador's Alex Quinonez celebrates after taking bronze in the Men's 200m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha, Qatar.
In this file photo taken on Oct. 1, 2019 Ecuador's Alex Quinonez celebrates after taking bronze in the Men's 200m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha, Qatar.


In this file photo taken on Oct. 1, 2019 Ecuador's Alex Quinonez celebrates after taking bronze in the Men's 200m final at the 2019 IAAF Athletics World Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha, Qatar. (MUSTAFA ABUMUNES/)

Quiñónez became a national hero in 2012 after reaching the 200-meter final at the London Games and finishing seventh in a race won by Usain Bolt.

“I have no words to express the sadness, helplessness and indignation that overwhelms me,” Andrea Sotomayor, the secretary-general of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee, tweeted Friday night.

“Álex Quiñónez was the synonym of humility and the clearest example of resilience. His loss leaves us with a pain in the chest,” she wrote, adding “so much evil!”

In this Oct. 2, 2019 photo bronze medallist Ecuador's Alex Quinonez poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Men's 200-meter at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha, Qatar.
In this Oct. 2, 2019 photo bronze medallist Ecuador's Alex Quinonez poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Men's 200-meter at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha, Qatar.


In this Oct. 2, 2019 photo bronze medallist Ecuador's Alex Quinonez poses on the podium during the medal ceremony for the Men's 200-meter at the 2019 IAAF World Athletics Championships at the Khalifa International stadium in Doha, Qatar. (MUSTAFA ABUMUNES/)

Ecuador President Guillermo Lasso said that “those who take the lives of Ecuadorians will not go unpunished.”

“We are very sorry for the painful loss of Alex Quiñónez, father, son, a great sprinter who marked the sport,” Lasso wrote on Twitter.

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