The Rio 2016 Olympics drew to a close on Sunday with an Ethiopian Feyissa Lelisa taking silver in the men’s marathon. Day 16 the games began in the rain with the staging of the men’s marathon leaving from the Sambodromo stadium in central Rio on Sunday. The 31-year-old Eliud Kipchoge, favourite to win the race before it started, took the gold in 2:08:44.He hasn’t lost a marathon since 2013.
Feyissa Lisa, the Houston Half-marathon winner, came in 70 seconds later to take the silver, and American Galen Rupp finished third in 2:10:05.
Kenya swept both marathons at the Rio Games. Jemima Sumgong won the women’s 26.2-mile race, becoming the first Kenyan woman to win a gold medal in the event.
The most remarkable moment about today’s men marathon was the sign the Ethiopia silver medallist showed in what looked like a solidarity with Oromo protests. Feyissa held his arms over his head, wrists crossed as he finished second at the marathon. The photo already caused social media buzz.
According to the BBC, Feyissa repeated the protest gesture later at a press conference, saying his life would be in danger if he returned home. Explaining his actions, Lilesa was quoted as saying: “The Ethiopian government are killing the Oromo people and taking their land and resources so the Oromo people are protesting and I support the protest as I am Oromo.
“The Ethiopian government is killing my people so I stand with all protests anywhere as Oromo is my tribe. My relatives are in prison and if they talk about democratic rights they are killed. I raised my hands to support with the Oromo protest.”
The marathon runner said that he might be killed if he returned, the BBC website announced.
“If not kill me, they will put me in prison,” he said. “I have not decided yet, but maybe I will move to another country.”
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Feyissa Lelisa takes silver for Ethiopia, displays solidarity with protestors
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