The site with the original story (Spanish language):
Here is the google translate version:
The story of the athlete who became a hero in the taking of hostages in Mali
Amadou Dembélé's national javelin champion and part of the Malian forces since 2006; the day of the attack was out of service but when he learned what was happening, rushed to the scene and assisted in the rescue operation
38
 Â
Â
The athlete Dembélé hero in Bamako. Photo:larazon_es
Â
BAMAKO (EFE) .- The story of Amadou Dembélé will be remembered forever in Mali. The athlete, national javelin champion, is also part of military force and became a hero of Malian society after coming to the rescue of 170 hostages of jihadist attack last Friday at the luxurious Radisson Blu in Bamako, which left left at least 19 dead hostages, two assailants and several more injured.
Despite not being in service, the 28-year athlete approached the area of ​​the attack and that his friend was working at the site and ended up hogging all the covers of the means of Mali. "I was informed that my friend, who is a sprinter and works at the Radisson Blu hotel, I was in trouble. So I went to their aid without thinking," he told EFE Dembélé.
Once in place, despite his friend managed to get among the first hostages, he decided to join the Malian Special Forces in the rescue of other persons captured, along with the US and French troops who joined as aid. This decision might cause you a penalty by their commanders as Dembele, who joined forces in 2006 Malian was out of service.
"I did to become a hero, but for a good cause. Save lives and protect my country if I punish, it is my fate," said the athlete, who is known by the nickname Zoto due to their status as an athlete. Furthermore, he relieved to have told a dozen people among hotel guests of different nationalities. "I will never forget the face of a young man I rescued. He was covered in blood when I took the basement of the hotel, where he was under an iron bar but alive. When carrying the ambulance and just after telling me his name -Hawa - succumbed, "he recalled.
Dembélé, eldest son of a family of eleven children and physical education instructor of children, revolutionized Bamako, a city that mourns the victims of Friday's attack, which was claimed by jihadist groups Al Murabitun and Al Qaeda Maghreb Islamic. After the facts, the Malian government decreed a state of emergency for ten days.