The US team coach dives in to save American Anita Alvarez.
Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
Swimmer Anita Alvarez fainted in the water on Wednesday after finishing her solo routine in the middle of the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary.
The medical episode has made the news and was recorded in shocking images.
The American swimmer lost consciousness and began to descend from the pool located on Margarita Island, in the 13th district of Budapest, after finishing her artistic swimming routine.
Her trainer, Andrea Fuentes, told the Cadena Ser program 'El Larguero' in Spain in an interview that she waited for the rescuers to jump in, but
not seeing an immediate reaction, she jumped into the water.
This image shows the moment in which the coach Andrea Fuentes tries to reach the swimmer. Oli Scarff / AFP via Getty Images
"I have seen that the lifeguards did not jump into the water because they were paralyzed
. I shouted at them from the other end to get into the water now," Fuentes said in the interview.
The coach, who is one of the most awarded swimmers in Spain, claimed to have made the "fastest" apnea of her life by running for her pupil.
The moment Alvarez is rescued by her trainer who struggles to bring her to the surface.
Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images
Andrea Fuentes indicated that this was not the first time that Alvarez had fainted in a pool and that the incident was due to the strong training of the athletes.
"Athletes seek the limit of the body and sometimes we find it," he
assured the Spanish media.
A rescuer arrives on the scene.
Fuentes checks the status of the swimmer.
Peter Kohalmi.
/ AFP via Getty Images
A rescuer from the tournament joined the trainer in pulling Alvarez out of the pool.
According to Fuentes, the athlete was not breathing.
"She had her jaw closed and super hard. I slapped her twice and yelled at her: Anita breathe!" she said.
After being removed from the water, the swimmer is transferred on a stretcher to receive medical attention. Anna Szilagyi / AP
Anita Alvarez was treated by emergency paramedics and reacted quickly.
According to the team,
she is well and out of danger.
The team experienced moments of terror while the athlete was transferred on the stretcher.
In the image, her companions are seen crying while they were unaware of her condition. AP
The athlete participated in the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Games. Despite the episode, she is expected to resume her participation in the tournament on Friday, according to the coach.
