Tamara Potocka says she ‘left her soul in the pool’ after collapsing immediately after a race in scary scenes at the Paris Olympics.
The Slovakian, competing at her first games, was racing in the women’s 200m individual medley on Friday, finishing seventh in her heat.
After getting out of the swimming pool, Potocka briefly sat beside the water before collapsing, with medics rushing in to treat the 21-year-old.
She was given an oxygen mask and then stretchered away, with Slovakian officials later revealing that her collapse was due to her asthma and she had been taken to hospital for further checks.
In the evening, they announced that Potocka ‘was discharged from medical care around 3pm and is recovering in her room in the Olympic Village.
‘[Potocka’s] condition has improved significantly after oxygen therapy and the delivery of medication. The swimmer is fine now.
‘The athlete started the race too quickly (she was leading in her heat after the initial 50 metres) and had breathing problems after finishing the race.
Potocka was later active on social media where she denied claims from her team that she had suffered an asthma attack.
‘I told myself that I would go all out and leave my soul in the pool, and that actually happened,’ she said in a statement on Instagram.
‘Unfortunately, due to total exhaustion, I couldn’t leave on my own, so they had to carry me on a stretcher.
‘No, I didn’t drop out or have an asthma attack‼️ I just couldn’t breathe and move my whole body.
‘What do you think it feels like to be watched by 15,000 people? I wanted to do well so much, that I started too fast, but because I am a fighter and I didn’t want to give up.
‘It caught up with me at the end of the track, because I wanted to squeeze everything out of myself but that happens when an athlete reaches the very bottom of their strength.
‘Just to achieve the best possible result and please their loved ones. Anyway, I’m fine and I can finally say that I’m an OLYMPIAN!!’
Potocka will not swim at any other events in the Paris games.
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