Pintado wins Ecuador’s first Athletics gold in Paris, dedicates victory to family
Ecuador’s Brian Pintado clinched the first Olympic athletics gold medal of the Paris Games, triumphing in the men’s 20km walk on Thursday. Pintado finished in 1 hour 18 minutes 55 seconds, dedicating his victory to his family back home.
Pintado, 29, wore a necklace symbolizing his son and a scarf from his grandmother as he powered to Ecuador’s second Olympic gold in this event, following Jefferson Perez’s win in Atlanta 1996. This victory marks Ecuador’s fourth Olympic gold overall.
Brazil’s Caio Bonfim secured silver, improving on his fourth-place finish from Rio 2016, while Spain’s world champion Alvaro Martin took bronze.
Clutching a family photograph as he crossed the finish line, Pintado expressed the emotional toll of being away from his loved ones for months. “It has been tough to be away from my family, my wife, my kids, for four months and just seeing them through a screen,” said Pintado. “But they were with me throughout the race. I have a picture of them with me.”
Pintado humorously suggested his gold medal should earn him a house from the Ecuadorian government, saying, “I want my country to give me a house for my children and I don’t want anything more.”
The race, delayed by a thunderstorm, saw Bonfim take an early lead along the scenic route by the Seine, passing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower and Trocadero. As the race progressed, leaders swapped positions frequently, with China’s Zhang Jun, Italy’s Massimo Stano, and Martin each leading at times.
With six kilometers remaining, Pintado joined a breakaway group. On the penultimate lap, he surged ahead, leaving Bonfim and Martin behind, and ultimately finished strong as Stano fell to fourth place.
(Source :AFP)
