An alarming situation occurred on the pool deck of Paris La Defense Arena on Friday morning as a Slovakian swimmer collapsed following her qualifying heat in the women’s 200-meter individual medley.
Tamara Potocka, who is competing in her Olympic debut in Paris, required immediate medical assistance after finishing seventh in the third heat of Friday’s preliminaries.
Slovakian Tamara Potocka competes in the women’s 200m individual medley during the 2024 World Aquatics Championships at Aspire Dome in Doha, Qatar, on February 11, 2024. (SEBASTIEN BOZON/AFP via Getty Images)
Reports indicate that the 21-year-old swimmer collapsed shortly after exiting the pool. A team of medical personnel quickly approached her, and she was seen receiving oxygen before being transported on a stretcher.
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The Slovakian Olympic team confirmed to The Athletic that Potocka, who has asthma, experienced an asthma attack that led to her collapse after the heat.
Medical personnel carry Tamara Potocka of Slovakia away on a backboard after the women’s 200-meter individual medley preliminary heats during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Paris La Défense Arena. (Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
Officials reported that Potocka remained alert and received oxygen therapy. She will continue to be monitored at the hospital.
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Potocka finished her heat with a time of 2:14.20, placing seventh, which did not qualify her for the semifinals, effectively eliminating her from the event.
Medical personnel provide assistance to Tamara Potocka of Slovakia on the pool deck during the women’s 200-meter individual medley preliminary heats at the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games in Paris La Défense Arena. (Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports)
This was Potocka’s first appearance at the Olympics. She has previously been a four-time finalist at the 2024 European Championships and first competed in 2018 at the World Short Course Championships in China.
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Team USA currently leads in swimming medals with a total of 20, while Australia tops the gold medal count with five.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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