A dramatic scene unfolded at Paris La Defense Arena on Friday morning when Slovakian swimmer Tamara Potocka collapsed after a qualifying heat of the women’s 200-meter individual medley.
Potocka, competing in her first Olympic Games, fell to the ground immediately after exiting the pool, having finished seventh in her heat. The 21-year-old swimmer received prompt medical attention, with a team of medical staff quickly providing oxygen before she was carried off on a stretcher.
The Slovakian Olympic team confirmed to The Athletic that Potocka, who suffers from asthma, experienced an asthma attack following her race. Despite the alarming incident, officials reported that she was conscious and receiving oxygen therapy. She will remain under hospital observation.
Potocka recorded a time of 2:14.20, placing seventh, which was not sufficient to advance to the semifinals, thus ending her Olympic bid. Despite the setback, Potocka’s achievements include being a four-time finalist at the 2024 European Championships and making her debut at the World Short Course Championships in China in 2018.
