Colombian runners on Monday shared their experiences of the tragic bombing at the Boston Marathon.
“The smell of gunpowder and the sound reminded me of the era of bombings in Colombia, which my generation lived,” said Alfonso Gomez, who had finished the marathon and was stretching when the improvized explosive devices (IEDs) exploded, according to the Colombian newspaper, El Tiempo.
“The explosion was strange, shocking, and it scared us. The most difficult moment was when we heard the second detonation. That was too much,” Gomez recounted.
Yolanda Caballero, who placed 14th in the women’s division, reported that she was taken with other elite runners to a hotel suite and was forbidden to leave, in order to guarantee their security.
“The event organizers asked us to stay calm and quiet until they knew what produced the explosions,” Caballero said.
Three people were killed and 176 were injured. Of the 46 Colombians participating in the marathon, none have been reported injured as of yet.
President Obama on Tuesday classified the event as an “act of terror.” There are still no suspects.