Andrea Fuentes got here to the rescue of US synchronized swimmer Anita Alvarez
US synchronized swimmer Anita Alvarez was rescued from the underside of the pool by coach Andrea Fuentes after fainting throughout her routine on the World Championships in Budapest.
Alvarez was performing within the ultimate of the solo free occasion on Wednesday when she misplaced consciousness and started sinking.
Because the 25-year-old’s physique lay limply within the water, the absolutely clothed Fuentes noticed the hazard and dived in to rescue the swimmer, dragging her physique to the floor earlier than a person mentioned to be lifeguard additionally rushed to her help.
Alvarez was positioned on a stretcher and instantly raced to the pool’s medical heart as shocked teammates and followers watched on from the stands.
It was later reported that Alvarez had regained consciousness and was doing effectively.
“Anita is okay, the medical doctors checked all vitals and every thing is regular: coronary heart charge, oxygen, sugar ranges, blood strain,” Fuentes mentioned.
“We typically neglect that this occurs in different high-endurance sports activities. Marathon, biking, cross nation… all of us have seen photos the place some athletes don’t make it to the end line and others assist them to get there,” she added.
“Our sport is not any totally different than others, simply in a pool, we push by limits and typically we discover them. Anita feels good now and the medical doctors additionally say she is OK.”
The assertion added that Alvarez would relaxation and seek the advice of with medical doctors earlier than deciding to swim within the free crew finals on Friday.
Remarkably, it’s not the primary time that US crew head coach Fuentes has been compelled to return to assistance from the swimmer, doing the identical at an Olympic qualifying occasion in Barcelona final 12 months.
On this event, the coach was important of the lifeguards on the FINA World Aquatics Championships within the Hungarian capital.
“Once I noticed her sinking, I appeared on the rescuers, however I noticed that they have been shocked. They didn’t react,” Fuentes, who’s a former Olympic medalist with Spain, informed AS in her homeland.
“I believe she was at the very least two minutes with out respiration as a result of her lungs have been stuffed with water.
“However we have been capable of take her to a very good place, she vomited the water, coughed and that was it, however it was an enormous scare.”
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Alvarez is competing at her third World Championships and is a two-time Olympian. She ended up ending seventh within the occasion, which was gained by Japan’s Yukiko Inui.
The often dominant Russian crew have been barred by FINA from competing on the occasion due to the battle in Ukraine.