Shocking: Gangs shot dead Olympic sprinter in Ecuador

An Olympic Sprinter in Ecuador was shot dead in the city of Guayaquil on Friday. The incident left everyone in shock. The country lost a great talent as per the people.

Ecuadorian police stated that Quinonez, 32, and one more person were found dead after Friday after midnight (05:00 GMT). The occurrence led to an outpouring of grief in a country containing a stream of violence.

Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso has vowed to bring his killers to justice and stated the killers would not go "unpunished".

"No one will stop until @PoliciaEcuador captures the killers. We are facing a war against drug gangs who want to subjugate us, "said Pablo Arosemena, the governor of Guayaquil province, whose capital is Guayaquil, on Twitter.

The country's sports ministry has confirmed Quinonez's murder on Twitter and gave a tribute to "the country's fastest sprinter produced".

"We lost a great athlete, someone who allowed us to dream, who moved us," the ministry said.

Quinonez set Ecuador's record for the 200m sprint with a time of 19.87 seconds.

He was a finalist at the 2012 London Olympics, finishing seventh after competing in the semifinals in the track alongside Usain Bolt. He also won a bronze medal in the 200m at the 2019 World Cup in Qatar.

Quinonez was getting ready for training in the United States with a view to his official return to track and eventual participation in next year's World Athletics Championships in Oregon.

A serious candidate for the podium at the Tokyo Olympics, Quinonez was unable to compete due to a sanction from the International Athletics Federation for failing to properly report his residence for out-of-competition anti-doping tests.

The Ecuadorian Olympic Committee said Quinonez's death "leaves us with deep pain" and that his "legacy will remain in our hearts forever".

"I have no words to display the sorrow, helplessness and indignation that overwhelms me," wrote Andrea Sotomayor, Secretary-General of the Ecuadorian Olympic Committee.

A tribute on Sunday saw the athlete's coffin in a burning chapel in a football stadium in the city, the sports ministry said.

[caption id="attachment_38423" align="aligncenter" width="597"] Relatives carry the coffin of Ecuadorian athlete Quiñonez at a funeral home in southern Guayaquil, Ecuador [Fernando Méndez / AFP][/caption]Quinonez's murder comes as violence has risen dramatically in Ecuador in recent months.

According to the government, between January and October this year, the country registered nearly 1,900 murders, compared to about 1,400 in the whole of 2020.

President Lasso last week declared a state of emergency with the military taking to the streets to patrol and search.