Ecuadorian Boston Marathon Runner unscathed from explosions

(Press release from Nino Communications)

Washington D.C. — The Ecuadorian marathoner, Miriam Coro, who participated with seven other Ecuadorians athletes in Boston, finished the race 10 minutes before suspected terrorists detonated two bombs that killed three people and wounded at least 170 others, Monday April 15.

“Immediately after finishing the race, I went to receive my medal and just a few minutes later  I felt a very strong explosion and within seconds a second, of equal intensity,” said Miriam Coro, who set a time of 3:33:37, which qualifies her for the marathon next year.

“From the first moment I knew that this was a terrorist attack,” Coro said, who saw how people started running in all directions to seek protection and to family and friends.

I also began to look for my family, Coro said, and she admitted to being very afraid that something bad might have happened to them because she said she saw a lot of blood on the floor.

Six relatives traveled with her to Boston from Virginia to cheer and take pictures of Coro. At the time of the explosion the group was separated from the athlete and had no communication with her. Among her relatives were her sisters, a brother and two young nephews.

“It was scary because the last time I had seen them was just where the blasts occurred, but fortunately they had moved back and forth in the direction of where I was when they heard the explosions,” Said Coro.

“My little nephew saw a lot of blood and many people on the floor,” said Coro, who showed great sadness for those who minutes before had given her encouragement when approaching the finish line. “Ten minutes before telling me ‘Arriba Ecuador, Ecuador Dale’ – go, Ecuador, go – and now many of them are injured, I am very sad,” said the athlete.

Coro and her family returned on Tuesday 16 to their place of residence in the state of Virginia, a few miles from the U.S. capital Washington DC.

Coro is one of eight Ecuadorian athletes participating in the Boston marathon this year, and one of the six who passed the finish line before the explosions, ANDES agency reported.

Miriam Coro is an active member of the Ecuadorian Federation of Citizens Abroad in Washington DC.

“It is an honor to have Miriam Coro among our members,” said a member and the former president of the association, Mauri Sagnay. “She is a much disciplined person and extremely active in the community and with our organization.”

Miriam Coro has participated in nine marathons and half marathons in the United States. It took her a year to prepare to qualify for the Boston marathon.

For more information contact: Alex A. Ormaza at (703) 371-4609 or email at aormaza@mindspring.com.