US synchronized swimmer Anita Alvarez has given her first interview after fainting at the Swimming World Championships. Her trainer pulled her out of the pool when the swimmer fell unconscious under the water after her freestyle.
This article first appeared on RTL.de
“I felt my fingers go numb. Then it went black. It happened very quickly,” the 25-year-old told NBC TV two days after her fainting attack.
Anita Alvarez thanks the trainer
Before her collapse, she had the feeling “that it was a really good performance,” said Alvarez. It was mainly her trainer who pulled her out of the pool with the help of another person. “I’m just very happy to have a coach like Andrea Fuentes,” Alvarez once again thanked her rescuer.
They were the only people who bravely intervened after the shock. The assistants only “gawped” and “didn’t react,” Fuentes had accused the helpers the day before.
In the end, it wasn’t enough for Alvarez to play in the team final. The world association removed her from the list for health reasons.
