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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420621-10944325-image-a-2_1655967229415.jpg)
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'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/06/59416225-10944325-Fuentes_said_she_had_to_leap_in_because_the_lifeguards_weren_t_d-a-49_1655960531735.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/06/59416231-10944325-Anita_Alvarez_is_rescued_by_her_heroic_coach_Andrea_Fuentes_afte-a-48_1655960531732.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/06/59416233-10944325-Another_swimmer_jumped_in_to_help_Fuentes_after_she_got_Alvarez_-a-50_1655960531737.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420619-10944325-image-a-4_1655967282365.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/06/59416241-10944325-Alvarez_centre_regained_consciousness_soon_after_being_rescued_a-a-51_1655960531739.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420611-10944325-image-a-6_1655967353448.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/06/59416221-10944325-It_s_not_the_first_time_the_swimmer_has_fainted_in_the_pool_she_-a-52_1655960531744.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420617-10944325-image-a-13_1655967508540.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/06/59416627-10944325-The_American_swim_team_were_left_visibly_shaken_by_the_horrific_-a-45_1655960531504.jpg)
The American swim team were left visibly shaken by the horrific near miss
‘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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420603-10944325-image-a-4_1655965969542.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420781-10944325-image-a-6_1655966222779.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420601-10944325-image-a-15_1655967570968.jpg)
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)](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59418053-10944325-Fuentes_also_saved_Alvarez_when_she_fainted_during_an_event_in_B-a-1_1655964678699.jpg)
Fuentes also saved Alvarez when she fainted during an event in Barcelona in 2021 (pictured)
![Fuentes (left) released a statement saying Alvarez (right) has recovered so well she could compete in another event on Saturday](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/06/59417869-10944325-Fuentes_left_released_a_statement_saying_Alvarez_right_has_recov-a-46_1655960531509.jpg)
Fuentes (left) released a statement saying Alvarez (right) has recovered so well she could compete in another event on Saturday
![The 26-year-old, pictured alongside her coach Fuentes (left), was born in Buffalo, New York, and began synchronised swimming after graduating high school](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420773-10944325-image-a-9_1655966313230.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420591-10944325-image-a-2_1655965693373.jpg)
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
‘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.
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’.
![Last year the 25-year-old fainted during an Olympics qualifying event in Barcelona, where she was also rescued by Fuentes](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420765-10944325-image-m-9_1655967451904.jpg)
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](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2022/06/23/07/59420769-10944325-image-a-11_1655967465768.jpg)
The American swim team was visibly distressed by the horrific incident and were seen consoling each other by the pool afterwards