Coach Andrea Fuentes jumped into the pool after watching the 25-year-old artistic swimmer sink to the bottom at the end of her routine in the women’s solo freestyle event.
Fuentes, a four-time Olympic medalist in synchronized swimming, lifted Alvarez to the surface before helping her back to the edge of the pool.
Alvarez received medical treatment by the pool, Reuters reported, and was later taken out on a stretcher.
It was the second time Fuentes had to save Alvarez, according to Reuters, after jumping into the pool during an Olympic qualifying event last year and pulling it to safety, along with American swimming partner Lindi Schroeder.
“Sometimes we forget that this happens in other high endurance sports. Marathon, cycling, cross-country… we’ve all seen images where some athletes don’t reach the finish line and others don’t reach the finish line. help make it happen,” Fuentes added.
“Our sport is no different to any other, just in a pool we push the limits and sometimes we find them. Anita feels good now and the doctors say she is fine too.”
Cnn