Top island runner 'sickened' by Boston blasts

Bermuda's star runner Chris Estwanik this evening spoke of his fury after bomb blasts rocked the Boston Marathon.

At the time of writing two people were confirmed dead and more than 100 were injured, some seriously.

Mr Estwanik said: “It just makes you so angry. This is a powerful day for the human spirit, people are pushing people with cerebral palsy, for example, people have overcome so much to complete their goal, it’s not just about the elite runners.

“And to have that taken away from you, it just makes you sick.”

The Bermuda athlete spoke to the Sun from a restaurant about a mile and half from the finish line, where two explosions rocked the hugely popular race.

He was speaking after it was confirmed that all 16 island runners had been confirmed to be safe and well.

When the blasts occurred, Estwanik and wife Ashley — top of the island’s top runners — had already finished the race and emerged from their hotel, about 150 yards from the finish line, to scenes of distress among runners and spectators.

Calls and texts from the Estwaniks to fellow Bermuda runners confirmed 11 were fine, although Chris said he did not personally know everyone in the Bermuda contingent. 

After leaving the hotel, Mr Estwanik said the realization of what was happening made him “sick to the bottom of his stomach”.

He added: “We are alright, thank God. We are already in lockdown in a restaurant about a mile and half from the finish line.

“It’s been an emotional rollercoaster – the high of achieving our goal followed by a feeling that makes you sick to the bottom of your stomach.

“When it happened we were literally getting out of the shower. We’re staying at the Westin which is a stone’s throw, about 150 yards, from the finish line. We came out to see people crying and hugging each other.”

The Estwaniks were then moved down the street with the crowd. “That’s when we saw what was happening,” he said.

Ushered in off the street, Estwanik said the feeling inside the restaurant is one of stoicism and sombre reflection as they get updates on developments.

He said: “We’ve spoken to people; brothers and sisters, parents in Bermuda and parents in the United States. It’s a horrible situation and my heart goes out to everyone affected.”