Swimming is among the most watched sports in the Olympics. However, one would find it surprising to think an expert swimmer could drown. Yet that is exactly what happened to artistic swimmer Anita Alvarez earlier this year during the World Aquatic Championships. After her routine ended, Alvarez didn’t surface.

Alvarez’s coach was waiting near the pool for her pupil to surface. However, when she didn’t, Andrea Fuentes knew something had gone wrong. The Olympic coach wasted no time jumping into the water to rescue the athlete from the clutches of death. 

A last-ditch effort to save her pupil’s life

After Fuentes pulled Alvarez out of the water, the Olympic swimming coach knew she had little time to spare. “I noticed that (Alvarez) was not breathing,” said Fuentes while appearing on the Today Show. The Olympic coach said she thought, “Do whatever it takes to make her breathe,” So Fuentes slapped Alvarez to try and wake her up. However, it didn’t work.

In a last-ditch effort to save the artistic swimmer, Fuentes thought of an extreme measure. While painful, it was the only method Alvarez’s coach could think of. “You press the pinky nail, very, very strong with something hard and this is extremely painful,” said Fuentes. However, this time it worked, and Alvarez woke up yelling, unable to process what had happened.

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“Last Thing I Remember”- Artistic Swimmer Anita Alvarez Describes Frightening Drowning Experience at FINA World Championships

Andrea Fuentes also recalled the unnerving rescue. Fuentes was wearing a polo t-shirt and trousers when she dived into the pool. Despite not being in swim gear, Fuentes swam to her drowning pupil. The Olympic swimming coach said Alvarez had sunk to the bottom of the 25-meter-deep pool when Fuentes reached her. 

An Olympic swimming legend’s quest for water safety

Alvarez’s coach spoke about the necessity of following water safety protocols. After the incident, Fuentes felt the need to raise awareness about water safety because she is a professional. The Olympic swimming coach also said schools should provide kids with water safety lessons. Olympic legend Michael Phelps would agree with Fuentes.

In fact, the Michael Phelps Foundation has worked to raise awareness about water safety for years. Phelps’ Foundation offers water safety training to kids and adults. The goal is to educate parents on securing pools and maintaining supervision while their children swim. However, the Foundation also teaches kids safety protocols, like how to tell if a swimming pool is safe to swim in.

Watch this story – Olympic Legends Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, and Katie Ledecky Hangout with Gold Medals Around their Neck

While such accidents rarely happen to competitive swimmers like Alvarez, her coach’s selfless actions saved the artistic swimmer’s life.