Joe
A dramatic and chilling scene occurred Friday morning at the 2024 Olympics when Slovakian swimmer Tamara Potocka collapsed after competing in the women’s 200-meter individual relay heat due to an asthma attack, according to reports.
The 21-year-old was quickly carried off on a stretcher, wearing a neck brace. Later, she was reported to be conscious and able to communicate with doctors at the hospital, the BBC confirmed.
Reuters reported that a team official stated that a doctor advised Potocka needs to be monitored for several more hours. Potocka, a first-time Olympian, collapsed immediately after exiting the pool at La Defense Arena in Nanterre, France, where she finished seventh in her heat.
Potocka has a known history of asthma, and it was revealed by the team official that she did not have her inhaler with her at the time of the incident, Reuters reported.
Medical professionals responded swiftly, placing her on a stretcher with an oxygen mask approximately one minute after she collapsed, according to the Associated Press. It remains unclear whether she received CPR.
“This doesn’t look good,” an Olympics announcer commented during the distressing scene, as transcribed by The Sun. “Fifteen-thousand people are now watching an athlete surrounded by medical staff, and I can assure you it’s absolutely silent in here.
“They’ve got a stretcher out, they’ve got an oxygen mask on the athlete, and I’m going to say … this looks very serious.”
