Pole vaulter Lavillenie booed on the Olympic podium

Rio de Janeiro, Aug 17 (IANS) French pole vaulter Renaud Lavillenie, who won the silver in men's pole vault, burst into tears during the medal ceremony at the Olympic Stadium after he was booed by the crowd.

Lavillenie was on the podium alongside gold medalist Thiago Braz da Silva of Brazil, who pleaded with his home crowd to stop the relentless booing of his rival, reports Efe

Braz da Silva himself even publicly gave Lavillenie a round of applause.

The French pole vaulter had earlier criticised the Brazilian crowd and compared its treatment of foreign competitors to the Nazis' harsh treatment of Jesse Owens in the Berlin 1936 Summer Olympics.

Lavillenie later apologised on his twitter account for that comment.