Sprinter Alex Quinonez killed in shooting in Ecuador
Alex Quiñonez, 200m bronze medallist at the 2019 World Championships, has been killed in his home city of Guayaquil after a shooting incident.
According to reports the 32-year-old was shot along with another person on Friday night in a shopping area of Colinas de la Florida, in Guayaquil, the second largest city in Ecuador.
Quiñonez had a best 200m time of 19.87, holds his national records from 100m to 400m and finished seventh in the 200m final in the London Olympics in 2012.
His finest moment on the track came at the World Championships in Doha two years ago when he clocked 19.98 to finish behind Andre De Grasse of Canada and the winner Noah Lyles of the United States.
In doing so he became Ecuador’s second medallist in the World Championships following the race walking exploits of Jefferson Pérez.
Wow, I remember being at 2019 World Championships and congratulating him on making the podium. I had watched his progression over the last 2 years because he trained at my track and I was so proud of him. This is so sad to hear. I pray peace for his family and loved ones 🙏🏾
— Noah Lyles, OLY (@LylesNoah) October 23, 2021
Quiñonez was set to compete in the Tokyo Olympics this year but provisionally suspended in July for anti-doping whereabouts failures.
His death occurred on the fourth day of a 60-day state of emergency which was announced by the country's president Guillermo Lasso to try to stop a surge in crime.
Descansa en paz, querido “𝘊𝘭𝘰𝘯”@aqfiel
7⃣ 𝐉𝐉𝐎𝐎 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟐
🥉𝐌𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐝𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐡𝐚 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗
🥇𝐏𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐬
🥇🥇𝐈𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨
🥇🥇🥇🥇𝐁𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐬
🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇𝐒𝐮𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐧𝐨
🏃🏿💨💨 🇪🇨 pic.twitter.com/wnoRbHQEZM— Fed.Ecuat. Atletismo (@FEcAtletismo) October 23, 2021
"With great sadness, we confirm the murder of our sportsman Alex Quiñónez," the Sports Ministry of Ecuador announced on Twitter.
"We have lost a great sportsman, someone who allowed us to dream, who moved us....he was the greatest sprinter this country produced."
President Lasso tweeted: "May he rest in peace. Those who take the lives of Ecuadoreans will not remain unpunished."
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