Olympic Swimmer Tamara Potocka Disputes Reason for ‘Scary’ Collapse by Pool

Swimmer Tamara Potocka is explaining why she collapsed poolside at the Paris Olympics on August 2. After the incident, she wrote a lengthy post about it on her Instagram page, denying the widely reported claim, including by ESPN, that she was suffering from an asthma attack.

“I told myself that I would go all out and leave my soul in the pool, and that actually happened.😅 unfortunately, due to total exhaustion, I couldn’t leave on my own, so they had to carry me on a stretcher. 😬” she wrote.

“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?” she added.

“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 his strength, just to achieve the best possible result and please his loved ones.🫶🏽
anyway, I’m fine and I can finally say that I’m an OLYMPIAN!!🥹🤩” she said.

Potocka’s collapse came on August 3 “following a qualifying heat of the women’s 200-meter individual medley,” ESPN reported. Photos show first responders surrounding Potocka, who was carried away on a stretcher and given oxygen, ESPN reported, adding that she collapsed after finishing 7th in the heat. The New York Post described the incident as a “scary scene.”

ESPN based its report on a statement from Slovakia team leader Ivana Lange, who told the outlet, “Tamara has asthma. This whole combination of nervous and physical tension while she did not have her inhaler immediately available to use contributed to the creation of this problem. She received oxygen and necessary medication. Her condition is constantly monitored. A few minutes ago, the doctor told me that she must be monitored for several more hours.”

---

Tamara Potocka Was Competing in Her 1st Olympic Games, Her Biography Says

According to Olympics.com, Potocka, who is swimming for Slovakia, was born in 2002. She doesn’t have any previous Olympic medals. She lives in Bratislava and was born in Poprad, her Olympics.com biography says.

Her Olympic bio says, “Started swimming aged seven. Parents put her older sister into swimming, so she went along as well.” She listed her heroes as swimmers Katinka Hosszu and Michael Phelps on the bio page. One of her milestones was listed as “Making her Olympic Games debut at Paris 2024.”

Potocka’s previous accomplishments are listed by Olympics.com as “2018 Youth Olympic Games finalist in 50m butterfly (eighth). Four-time 2024 European Championships finalist (50m butterfly – fourth, 200m individual medley – fifth, 4x200m freestyle relay – seventh, 4x100m medley relay – eighth). In the semifinals of the 200m IM, set a national record of two minutes, 12.42 seconds.”

---

Tamara Potocka Posted About Her Journey to the Olympics on Her Instagram Page

Potocka has been posting from Paris on her Instagram page, including a picture showing her in front of the Eiffel Tower.

She also posted a picture showing her at the opening ceremony.

People were filling up her comment threads with concern due to the collapse. “I hope you feel better. Lots of strength and recovery quickly! 🍀” wrote one person. “I hope you are fine😍😢” another person wrote.

A July 18 post showed her with a suitcase and read, “Tamara Potocká will soon try the Olympic pool 😍 Keep your fingers crossed for her.” On July 10, she posted a selfie to her page.

Her Instagram profile reads, “My Instagram isn’t private, but my private life is. You don’t know me, you know my Instagram✌🏼”

0 Comments