American swimmer Anita Álvarez was rescued from the bottom of the pool by her coach at the FINA World Aquatics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, after losing consciousness on Wednesday (22).
Coach Andrea Fuentes jumped into the pool after realizing that the 25-year-old artistic swimmer had sunk at the end of her choreography in the women’s freestyle solo competition.
Fuentes, a four-time Olympic medalist in synchronized swimming, lifted Álvarez to the surface before helping to carry her to the edge of the pool.
Álvarez received medical help beside the pool, Reuters reported, and was later transported on a stretcher.
This was the second time Fuentes had to rescue Álvarez, according to Reuters. The first time came when she jumped into a pool during an Olympic qualifying event last year, and was taken to safety along with fellow swimmer Lindi Schroeder.
Fuentes told Spanish broadcaster Cadena COPE in a radio interview: “I don’t think I’ve ever swum so fast, even when I won Olympic medals, and well, in the end I was able to lift it and I wasn’t breathing. Then came the rescuer.”
In a statement on the United States Artistic Swimming Instagram page, Fuentes said Álvarez would rest during Thursday (23) and consult a doctor to see if he is in a position to compete in the team free swimming finals, which are scheduled. for Friday, according to the website of the sport’s governing body, Fina.
“Anita is fine, the doctors have reviewed all her vitals and everything is normal: heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure, etc…everything is fine,” sources said in the statement.
“Sometimes we forget that this happens in high-endurance sports. Marathons, cycling, cross country… we’ve all seen images that show athletes who don’t reach the goal and others help them to reach the goal”, added Fuentes.
“Our sport is no different from others, it just takes place in a pool, and we try to move boundaries, and sometimes we run into them. Anita feels fine now and the doctors also say she is fine.”
Álvarez finished in seventh place behind Yukiko Inui of Japan who took gold, while Ukraine’s Marta Fiedina and Greek Evangelia Platanioti won second and third place respectively, according to Fina’s website.
Source: CNN Brasil
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