BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Andrea Fuentes prevented a tragedy at the swimming world championships with her quick reaction.
The United States coach knew something was wrong when she saw artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez sink motionless to the bottom of the pool during a solo free routine on Wednesday.
The fully clothed Fuentes dived in. She swam to the unresponsive Alvarez, put her arms around her, and lifted her to the water’s surface, where another person helped get her out of the pool.
Alvarez, a two-time Olympian, had fainted.
“It was her best performance ever, she just pushed through her limits and she found them,” Fuentes joked.
Alvarez, who was immediately given medical attention, was feeling much better on Thursday.
“Anita has been evaluated by medical staff and will continue to be monitored. She is feeling much better and using today to rest,” USA Artistic Swimming told The Associated Press in a statement.
“Watching yesterday’s medical emergency of 2x Olympian Anita Alvarez and subsequent rescue by coach Andrea Fuentes was heartbreaking for our community. She gave an exceptional solo performance and competed brilliantly in four preliminary and three final competitions across six days.”
Alvarez finished seventh in Wednesday’s individual final.
“Whether or not she will swim in the free team final on Friday … will be determined by Anita and expert medical staff,” USA Artistic Swimming said.
Fuentes also said Alvarez was doing much better in an Instagram post.
“The doctors checked all vitals and everything is normal: heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure, etc… all is okay,” Fuentes wrote. “We sometimes forget that this happens in other high-endurance sports.
Marathon, cycling, cross country… we all have seen images where some athletes don’t make it to the finish line and others help them to get there. Our sport is no different than others, just in a pool, we push through limits and sometimes we find them.”
TOPSHOT – A member of Team USA (R) swims to recover USA’s Anita Alvarez (L), from the bottom of the pool during an incident in the women’s solo free artistic swimming finals, during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT – USA’s Anita Alvarez competes in the women’s solo free artistic swimming finals during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT – USA’s Anita Alvarez is recovered from the bottom of the pool by a team member after an incident, during the women’s solo free artistic swimming finals during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT – A member of Team USA (R) recovers USA’s Anita Alvarez (L), from the bottom of the pool during an incident in the women’s solo free artistic swimming finals, during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT – A member of Team USA (R) recovers USA’s Anita Alvarez (L), from the bottom of the pool during an incident in the women’s solo free artistic swimming finals, during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) Anita Alvarez of United States, center, is taken from the pool after collapsing during the solo free final of the artistic swimming at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi) Anita Alvarez of United States is taken on a stretcher from the pool after collapsing during the solo free final of the artistic swimming at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi) Anita Alvarez of United States, center, is taken from the pool after collapsing during the solo free final of the artistic swimming at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (Zsolt Szigetvary/MTI via AP) Anita Alvarez of United States, center, is taken from the pool after collapsing during the solo free final of the artistic swimming at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (Zsolt Szigetvary/MTI via AP) Anita Alvarez of United States, center, is taken from the pool after collapsing during the solo free final of the artistic swimming at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (Zsolt Szigetvary/MTI via AP) Fans and teammates react after Anita Alvarez of United States collapsed during the solo free final of the artistic swimming at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi) Anita Alvarez of United States is taken from the pool after collapsing during the solo free final of the artistic swimming at the 19th FINA World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Wednesday, June 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Anna Szilagyi) USA’s Anita Alvarez sinks to the bottom of the pool during an incident, in the women’s solo free artistic swimming finals, during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) A member of Team USA (R) recovers USA’s Anita Alvarez (L), from the bottom of the pool during an incident in the women’s solo free artistic swimming finals, during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP) (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images) TOPSHOT – A member of Team USA (L) recovers USA’s Anita Alvarez (C), from the bottom of the pool during an incident in the women’s solo free artistic swimming finals, during the Budapest 2022 World Aquatics Championships at the Alfred Hajos Swimming Complex in Budapest on June 22, 2022. (Photo by Peter Kohalmi / AFP) (Photo by PETER KOHALMI/AFP via Getty Images) BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE 22: Anita Alvarez of Team United States is attended to by medical staff following her Women’s Solo Free Final performance on day six of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Alfred Hajos National Aquatics Complex on June 22, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE 22: Anita Alvarez of Team United States is attended to by medical staff following her Women’s Solo Free Final performance on day six of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Alfred Hajos National Aquatics Complex on June 22, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE 22: Anita Alvarez of Team United States is attended to by medical staff following her Women’s Solo Free Final performance on day six of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Alfred Hajos National Aquatics Complex on June 22, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE 22: Anita Alvarez of Team United States competes in the Women’s Solo Free Final on day six of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Alfred Hajos National Aquatics Complex on June 22, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE 22: Anita Alvarez of Team United States competes in the Women’s Solo Free Final on day six of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Alfred Hajos National Aquatics Complex on June 22, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images) BUDAPEST, HUNGARY – JUNE 22: Anita Alvarez of Team United States competes in the Women’s Solo Free Final on day six of the Budapest 2022 FINA World Championships at Alfred Hajos National Aquatics Complex on June 22, 2022 in Budapest, Hungary. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)
Close Modal
Suggest a Correction
Suggest a Correction