Current Events > Team USA swimmer saved by coach as lifeguards watched as she nearly drowned

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://nypost.com/2022/06/23/us-swimmer-rescued-by-coach-after-fainting-in-pool/

Artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez was dramatically rescued from the bottom of the pool by Team USAs head coach after fainting in a distressing scene at the World Aquatics Championships in Budapest. Andrea Fuentes leaped in to rescue Alvarez, who had sunk to the bottom of the pool and was not breathing after passing out at the conclusion of her routine during Wednesday nights solo free final. It was a big scare. I had to jump in because the lifeguards werent doing it, Fuentes was reported as saying by Spanish newspaper Marca. Fuentes, dressed not in swimming gear but in shorts and a T-shirt, dove to the bottom of the pool and dragged Alvarez to the surface before being assisted to get the stricken American to the edge of the pool. I was scared because I saw she wasnt breathing, but now she is doing very well, said Fuentes, a four-time Olympic artistic swimming medallist. Alvarez, who was born in Kenmore, NY, was taken on a stretcher to the pools medical center, with teammates and fans appearing to be in shock poolside, with some in tears consoling each other. It was very intense, Fuentes told AS newspaper. I think she was at least two minutes without breathing because her lungs were full of water. But we were able to take her to a good place, she vomited the water, coughed and that was it, but it was a big scare.

Fuentes was critical of the slow reaction of the lifeguards at the Aquatic World Championships, which finish on Sunday after 10 days of competition. When I saw her sinking, I looked at the rescuers, but I saw that they were stunned. They didnt react, Fuentes was reported as saying by the newspaper. I thought, Will you jump in now? My reflexes kicked in quickly. Im like that, I cant just stare. I didnt overthink it, I jumped. I think it was the craziest and fastest free dive Ive ever done in my career. I picked her up and lifted her, obviously she was heavy, it wasnt easy. The 25-year-old Alvarez was in her third World Championships but has passed out in competition before. She suffered a similar reaction during an Olympic qualifier in Barcelona last year.

Shit, I'm glad she got rescued in time.

Arrest the lifeguards

The lifeguards should all be fired and charged.

It makes more sense when you realize the lifeguards are from Uvalde, Texas.

Lebronwon posted...

The 25-year-old Alvarez was in her third World Championships but has passed out in competition before. She suffered a similar reaction during an Olympic qualifier in Barcelona last year.

If I'm passing out in a pool multiple times from competing then I think I'd just retire.

A_Good_Boy posted...

If I'm passing out in a pool multiple times from competing then I think I'd just retire.

Honestly, this

gunplagirl posted...

Shit, I'm glad she got rescued in time.

yeah

Zikten posted...

Arrest the lifeguards

They did a bad job but this is a bad take, at worst they should be fired.

Literally had one job

ANort175 posted...

It makes more sense when you realize the lifeguards are from Uvalde, Texas.

Were turned down by the police department hiring process...

I guess that meme about an Olympic lifeguard being a useless job wasnt just a meme

How do we know the lifeguards were particularly slow and not that the coach was particularly quick to react? The coach knows from experience that this swimmer has a history of passing out in the pool so she was probably looking at her the whole time while watching for any signs of distress. The lifeguards on the other hand had other swimmers to canvass their gaze on.

A_Good_Boy posted...

How do we know the lifeguards were particularly slow and not that the coach was particularly quick to react? The coach knows from experience that this swimmer has a history of passing out in the pool so she was probably looking at her the whole time while watching for any signs of distress. The lifeguards on the other hand had other swimmers to canvass their gaze on.

Whoa now! Nuance? Thats not allowed!

Lebronwon posted...

The 25-year-old Alvarez was in her third World Championships but has passed out in competition before. She suffered a similar reaction during an Olympic qualifier in Barcelona last year.

The article about the previous incident says she'd passed out before that time too.

A_Good_Boy posted...

How do we know the lifeguards were particularly slow and not that the coach was particularly quick to react? The coach knows from experience that this swimmer has a history of passing out in the pool so she was probably looking at her the whole time while watching for any signs of distress. The lifeguards on the other hand had other swimmers to canvass their gaze on.

There doesnt seem to be any videos on the OP for some reason or I would link to it. But it wasnt a race. It was solo artistic swimming the focus was only on one person.

Here is an example of it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-I6yAfssSlU

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/user_image/4/0/9/AAEhCpAADX65.jpg