Swimmer Kaio Marcio Almeida, who won a gold medal in the Pan American Games on Wednesday, dedicated his achievement to the victims of Brazil's biggest airplane crash ever, which happened on Tuesday evening in Sao Paulo.
Almeida revealed that all the Brazilian athletes that competed on Wednesday were aware of the accident, which is believed to have killed about 200 people, including passengers, crew and other employees of the airline company TAM.
The swimmer stressed that it was "very sad" that an accident like that took place on a day "of so much joy to the country".
On Tuesday, Brazil's swimmers got two golds, in the 400m individual medley and the 4x100m freestyle relay, breaking the Pan Am record in both events. On the same day, at the moment of the tragedy, the public at the Olympic Arena was celebrating the 11 medals won by Brazilian gymnasts in the competition.
Almeida, who also broke the Pan Am record in the 100m butterfly on Wednesday, added that the athletes raised their thoughts to the victims while they swam.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Pan American Sports Organization (Odepa) released a statement extending to the Games the three-day mourning, decreed by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in memory of the accident's victims. During the period, all flags will be flying at half mast at the competition venues.
Odepa also determined that all events that rely on the participation of Brazilian athletes will hold a minute of silence in the beginning.
The Brazilian Olympic Committee informed that the local athletes will wear a black armband as a sign of mourning too.
Source: Xinhua
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