'Two minutes without breathing': Coach tells of Anita Alvarez's pool rescue drama
"I think she was at least two minutes without breathing because her lungs were full of water," said coach Andrea Fuentes, a four-time Olympic artistic swimming medallist, adding that the swimmer's heart was beating. "She vomited the water, coughed and that was it, but it was a big scare," Fuentes said. The 25-year-old had sunk to the bottom of the pool after passing out at the conclusion of her routine during Wednesday night's solo free final in Budapest. Meanwhile, as it emerged that Alvarez had fainted while previously competing, local organisers and the sport's governing body came under fire after lifeguards were accused of not reacting quick enough to the incident. Fuentes, could see warning signs that Alvarez was in trouble.
