Anita Alvarez‘s coach leaps into pool to save her after she FAINTS in water at world championships
Anita Alvarez, an American swimmer, is fortunate to be alive after collapsing at the World Championships on Wednesday and having to be rescued by her coach.
The 25-year-old synchronized swimmer was competing in the final of the women’s solo free event in Budapest when she lost consciousness and plunged to the bottom of the pool.
Her trainer, Andrea Fuentes, jumped into the water and, with the assistance of a male lifeguard, brought her back to the safety of the shore. Alvarez quickly came to after being pulled from the water, was given first aid right away, and is said to be doing fine now that he has been treated for his injuries.
Amazingly, this is the second time that Alvarez has passed out in a pool while competing, and Fuentes has been there to assist her both times. The first occasion was during a qualifying event for the Olympics in Barcelona.
In a radio interview conducted yesterday in Spanish, Fuentes stated that she became aware that something was amiss when Alvarez “went down and didn’t react” rather than coming up after completing her performance. She remarked, “When a swimmer finishes, the first thing they want to do is breathe,” and this is exactly what they do when they finish.
The coach explained that she had waved to the lifeguards for assistance, but they could not see her, so she ended up jumping in the water herself. I hurried there as quickly as my feet could carry me. I raced in at an even faster pace than I did when I was competing for Olympic medals.
After the horrific experience, Fuentes reported that Alvarez “was not breathing” when she reached her. However, she was able to be revived and evaluated for any symptoms of harm. “Oxygen, glucose, heart, blood pressure, everything’s good,” she said, adding that Alvarez would rest today before going back into the water since “she needs to swim the final.”
The US swim team later released a statement saying that Alvarez was doing well.
Fuentes, a four-time Olympic medallist, told Spanish radio that Alvarez had fainted due to the effort expended during the routine.
