Dean Koga gets a kiss from Italian runner Giampiero Mancinelli a day after being injured by a bomb.
OutSports.com photo by Jim BuzinskiSource: OutSports, Windy City Times, Copenhagen Post, BBC
Dean Koga of the Seattle Frontrunners was injured by shrapnel at the World Outgames in Copenhagen when the second of three bombs was thrown on the track moments before the start of the men's 4 x 200 relay.
Plastic was removed from Koga's right hand and he required stitches, writer Russ Cogan of Windy City Times reports from Copenhagen.
“The [bomb] container hit the ground and everyone yelled to run,” Koga told OutSports.com editor Jim Buzinski. Koga was in his running lane and then headed for the infield area. “That's when I felt the impact” from the shrapnel that ricocheted off the ground and into the top part of his right hand.
“I felt a sting and there was blood flowing down from the [relay] baton I was holding.”
Eyewitnesses say the attacker threw three bombs onto the track area before he was arrested by Copenhagen police more than a half-hour after Koga was injured, OutSports reports.
But BBC reports that the alleged attacker told a court that he had thrown only one “firecracker”.
BBC also reports that the man “was apprehended by runners from Sparta Athletes club as he attempted to escape.”
Seattle runner injured by bomb thrown onto track at World Outgames [contd.]
Buzinski reports from Copenhagen that Koga felt his best revenge was to run again the next day:
Less than a day after spending four hours having shrapnel surgically removed from his right hand following a bomb attack, Koga took his place Wednesday on the blue-colored lanes under partly cloudy skies, his right hand bandaged, shook off the memories of what had happened and won a gold medal in his age group in the men's 200 meters.
“I was running on adrenaline,” Koga, 58, said of his race as he was trying to catch his breathe following his sprint down the stretch and after hugging his fellow racers.
Gerry Hail of the World Outgames told Windy City Times that the explosive that injured Koga was a “Roman candle”, but OutSports reports that police have described the explosive as “powerful”, about 9 inches in length, with a blue plastic covering, and a fuse that was burning after it landed.
Competition was halted for about 90 minutes Tuesday before athletes agreed to continue, one eyewitness told Windy City Times.
The first explosive device that was thrown onto the track caused a loud explosion, but no injuries. Despite the blast, games officials were ready to continue with the 4x200-meter relay for the 55-59 age group when the second device exploded near the runners, OutSports reports.
“It was one specific person who did [the attack] ,” said Outgames President Uffe Elbaek. “I am so happy that the police were quick on the spot and arrested him. The charge is committing a hate crime.”
But not everyone at the games were as pleased with the police response, according to OutSports. Buzinski reports that some eyewitnesses said it took at long as 30 minutes for police and paramedics to arrive at the scene. On-site volunteer medical personnel attended to Koga's injury while they waited for paramedics.
“It was annoying that it happened a second time,” said one athlete, a retired New York City police officer, who did not want to be identified as being critical of other police officers. While praising the response of the onsite Outgames volunteers, he said that Copenhagen police failed to adequately secure the area after first arriving.
When police caught the 31-year-old man who threw the explosive, he was charged with a hate crime.
Copenhagen Police commissioner Poul B Hansen told the Danish newspaper Politiken it would be surprising if the accused had been unaware the event was for gay people, BBC reports.
“We are certain it was no coincidence that he threw the fireworks where he did - but it is, of course, up to the judge to decide if we are right,” Hanson said.
Despite the complaints about police response, Jon Nicholson, a teammate of Koga’s on Seattle Frontrunners, told Windy City Times that there were “a large number of uniformed and plain-clothes police protecting the stadium.”
Police told Koga that the suspect was carrying a backpack with another half-dozen or so bombs, OutSports reports.
Copenhagen police are also investigating an attack on three gay men that took place on Friday evening as a possible hate crime, Copenhagen Post reports.
The three men were attacked as they as they returned from the opening ceremony of the World Outgames on Town Hall Square. They were treated at a hospital for injuries but were released soon after.
Two men, aged 28 and 33, were taken into custody Friday after witnesses say they heard them yell “homo pig” at the three before attacking them.
The three, who come from England, Sweden, and Norway and are attending the nine-day event, according to the Post.
The two suspects will remain in custody for the remainder of the nine day World Outgames event.
Buzinski reports that neither of the attacks has dampened spirits at the games, even though some spectators appeared nervous as track & field events started up again Wednesday morning:
“People were undeterred,” Koga said. They had races to run and field events to perform and Koga was gearing up for the 800 meters. He has raced at five Gay Games and two Outgames and was not about to quit.
“It’s a wonderful event,” he said. “It’s too bad, but this is an isolated incident.”
Koga’s teammate Jon Nicholson told Windy City Times, “This is a very unfortunate event, but Seattle Frontrunners' moral has not been tempered. After winning eight medals in road races on Sunday, we will continue to do well on the track.”
5,500 participants from 98 countries are in Copenhagen for Outgames which ends its eight-day run Saturday, Aug. 1.
The eighth Gay Games, which are run by a different organization, will be held next summer in Cologne, Germany.
Gay Games officials issued a statement July 29 regarding the attack, according to Windy City Times:
“We condemn the violent attacks against LGBT athletes and spectators during the Outgames taking place this week in Copenhagen, Denmark,” the statement says. “This week we are all Copenhageners and we stand in solidarity with Outgames organizers and the very gay-friendly people of Copenhagen against this kind of violence.”
[post updated with additional reporting from BBC]
Source: Athlete describes bomb attack at World Outgames | OutSports.com
Alleged hate crime interrupts Outgames | Windy City Times
Gay attack ‘isolated’ incident | Copenhagen Post
'Hate crime' at Danish gay games | BBC