Anita Alvarez lies at the bottom of the pool in the Budapest World Championships after fainting mid competition yesterday

American swimmer Anita Alvarez is lucky to be alive after she fainted while competing at the World Championships and had to be rescued by her coach in stunning scenes on Wednesday.

The synchronised swimmer, 25, was competing in the final of the women’s solo free event when she fell unconscious and sank to the bottom of the pool in Budapest.

Her coach Andrea Fuentes leapt into the water and dragged her back to safety with the help of an unnamed man, while lifeguards watched on.

Alvarez regained consciousness soon after being rescued from the pool, received immediate first aid and is reportedly recovering well.

Amazingly, it is the second time Alvarez has fainted in a pool during a competition, with Fuentes again coming to her aid during the Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona. 

Anita Alvarez lies at the bottom of the pool in the Budapest World Championships after fainting mid competition yesterday

Anita Alvarez lies at the bottom of the pool in the Budapest World Championships after fainting mid competition yesterday

Alvarez's coach Andrea Fuentes said she had to leap in because 'the lifeguards weren't doing it'

Alvarez’s coach Andrea Fuentes said she had to leap in because ‘the lifeguards weren’t doing it’

Anita Alvarez is rescued by her heroic coach Andrea Fuentes after losing consciousness and sinking to the bottom of the pool at the World Championships in Budapest on Thursday

Anita Alvarez is rescued by her heroic coach Andrea Fuentes after losing consciousness and sinking to the bottom of the pool at the World Championships in Budapest on Thursday

Another swimmer jumped in to help Fuentes after she got Alvarez's head above the water

Another swimmer jumped in to help Fuentes after she got Alvarez’s head above the water

A member of Team USA also jumped in to help drag Alvarez to the surface with the lifeguards accused of not doing anything to help

A member of Team USA also jumped in to help drag Alvarez to the surface with the lifeguards accused of not doing anything to help

Alvarez (centre) regained consciousness soon after being rescued and is recovering well

Alvarez (centre) regained consciousness soon after being rescued and is recovering well

It is not known what caused Alvarez to faint but synchronised swimmers often have to hold their breath for a long time underwater

It is not known what caused Alvarez to faint but synchronised swimmers often have to hold their breath for a long time underwater

It's not the first time the swimmer has fainted in the pool - she did so in Barcelona last year, and Fuentes also saved her on that occasion

It’s not the first time the swimmer has fainted in the pool – she did so in Barcelona last year, and Fuentes also saved her on that occasion

The Olympic athlete gained consciousness shortly after she was dragged from the bottom of the pool by her heroic coach

The Olympic athlete gained consciousness shortly after she was dragged from the bottom of the pool by her heroic coach

The American swim team were left visibly shaken by the horrific near miss

The American swim team were left visibly shaken by the horrific near miss

This is the second time Alvarez has fainted in a pool during a competition, with Fuentes again coming to her aid during the Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona (pictured)

This is the second time Alvarez has fainted in a pool during a competition, with Fuentes again coming to her aid during the Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona (pictured)

Coach Fuentes dived into the pool in Barcelona to save Anita Alvarez after she fainted during the Olympic qualifying last year

Coach Fuentes dived into the pool in Barcelona to save Anita Alvarez after she fainted during the Olympic qualifying last year

Coach Fuentes and one of Alvarez's teammates help the 25-year-old synchronised swimmer out of the water after she fainted while performing a routine

Coach Fuentes and one of Alvarez’s teammates help the 25-year-old synchronised swimmer out of the water after she fainted while performing a routine

‘It was a big scare. I had to jump in because the lifeguards weren’t doing it,’ Fuentes said afterwards.

‘I was scared because I saw she wasn’t breathing, but now she is doing very well. Anita is doing much better.’

The American swim team was visibly distressed by the horrific incident and were seen consoling each other by the pool afterwards.

Fuentes summed up the situation by posting a statement on Instagram.

‘Anita is okay – the doctors checked all vitals and everything is normal: heart rate, oxygen, sugar levels, blood pressure, etc… all is okay,’ she wrote.

Alvarez is seen moments before fainting as she competed in the Women Solo Free Final at the Budapest World Championships

Alvarez is seen moments before fainting as she competed in the Women Solo Free Final at the Budapest World Championships

The synchronised swimmer, who competed in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, is seen on the floor at the start of her routine

The synchronised swimmer, who competed in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, is seen on the floor at the start of her routine

Alvarez initially appeared well as she performed her routine but the problems started when she went underwater

Alvarez initially appeared well as she performed her routine but the problems started when she went underwater

Fuentes also saved Alvarez when she fainted during an event in Barcelona in 2021 (pictured)

Fuentes also saved Alvarez when she fainted during an event in Barcelona in 2021 (pictured)

The 26-year-old, pictured alongside her coach Fuentes (left), was born in Buffalo, New York, and began synchronised swimming after graduating high school

The 26-year-old, pictured alongside her coach Fuentes (left), was born in Buffalo, New York, and began synchronised swimming after graduating high school

Fuentes said in a post that doctors had checked all of Alvarez's vital signs and she 'feels good' after the scare in the pool

Fuentes said in a post that doctors had checked all of Alvarez’s vital signs and she ‘feels good’ after the scare in the pool

Why do people faint? 

There can be many different reasons why someone might faint and briefly lose consciousness.

Common causes include standing up too quickly, which could be a sign of low blood pressure, not eating or drinking enough, being too hot, being in severe pain, a sudden fear or drugs and alcohol.

It is caused by a lack of blood to the brain because of a drop in pressure. 

Most episodes only last a few seconds or minutes and are not typically a cause for concern.

But regular fainting can be a sign of a heart problem or a neurological condition, which should be checked by a doctor.

‘We sometimes forget that this happens in other high-endurance sports. Marathon, cycling, cross country… we have all 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 to others, just in a pool, we push through limits and sometimes we find them.

‘Anita feels good now and the doctors also say she is okay. Tomorrow she will rest all day and decide with the doctor if she can swim free team finals or not.’ 

It’s not the first time Alvarez has passed out in the pool.

Last year the 25-year-old fainted during an Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona, where she was also rescued by Fuentes. 

‘Unfortunately I’ve seen it happen to her before – never in competition, though,’ Alvarez’s mother Karen said at the time.

‘I knew right away. On their last element, I could tell something was up. It was hard to watch, definitely.’ 

Alvarez finished seventh in the event, which was won by Japan’s Yukiko Inui. 

Most synchronised swimming routines require athletes to hold their breath for no more than one minute at a time.

In 2010, Olympic medal winner Fran Crippen died in an open water swimming event in the UAE.

The long distance champion was aged 26 when he competed in the 10,000m event.

It is the second time Anita Alvarez (left) has fainted in a pool during a competition, with Fuentes again coming to her aid during the Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona

It is the second time Anita Alvarez (left) has fainted in a pool during a competition, with Fuentes again coming to her aid during the Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona

Last year 25-year-old Alvarez (right, in USA team kit) fainted during an Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona, where she was also rescued by Fuentes

Last year 25-year-old Alvarez (right, in USA team kit) fainted during an Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona, where she was also rescued by Fuentes

Alvarez (pictured) regained consciousness soon after being rescued from the pool, received immediate first aid and is reportedly recovering well

 Alvarez (pictured) regained consciousness soon after being rescued from the pool, received immediate first aid and is reportedly recovering well

Fuentes (left) released a statement saying Alvarez (right) has recovered so well she could compete in another event on Saturday

Fuentes (left) released a statement saying Alvarez (right) has recovered so well she could compete in another event on Saturday

Last year the 25-year-old fainted during an Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona, where she was also rescued by Fuentes

Last year the 25-year-old fainted during an Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona, where she was also rescued by Fuentes

The American swim team was visibly distressed by the horrific incident and were seen consoling each other by the pool afterwards

The American swim team was visibly distressed by the horrific incident and were seen consoling each other by the pool afterwards

Fellow swimmers only noticed he was missing when they reached the finish line, sparking a desperate search to find him.

His body was found two hours after the end of the race by deep sea divers 500 yards from the shore.

Other swimmers at the time said heat may have been a factor, with water temperature at 30C and competitors reporting heat-related symptoms after completing the race.

A report found Crippen died of a ‘cardiac abnormality’. 

In 2015, a Dartmouth College swimmer died at a YMCA pool after making an attempt to complete four laps underwater without surfacing to breathe.

Tate Ramsden, 21, of Nashville, Tennessee, was pronounced dead at the Sarasota pool in Florida after lifeguards and emergency medical personnel could not revive him, according to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office incident report.

Ramsden was at the pool with his sister, uncle and a cousin.

‘Tate had been swimming laps in the pool for some time and I was told he had swam approximately 4,000 yards before practicing his underwater swimming techniques,’ Officer Douglas Stidham wrote in the report. ‘It is believed he was likely attempting to complete a ‘100’ which is four laps across the pool without surfacing for air.’

At some point, Ramsden’s sister and cousin noticed that he was not moving underwater, and they alerted lifeguards who pulled him out of the water, Stidham wrote.

Water and blood came pouring from Ramsden’s nose and mouth throughout the attempts to revive him, according to the report.

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