Slovakian athlete Tamara Potocka collapsed after completing a swim at the Olympic Games this morning, leaving spectators at the Paris Aquatics Centre shocked as she was hurriedly carried away on a stretcher.

The 21-year-old competed in a heat of the women’s 200-metre individual medley at 10:30am BST this morning and clambered out of the pool having come in seventh, missing out on qualification for the later rounds.

THE HORRIFIC SCENE

She was seen sitting poolside for a few seconds in clear distress, even as another eight swimmers lined up for the next heat, before slumping backwards. 

Organisers realised something was wrong and postponed the next swim as medical staff descended on the scene.

THE EMERGENCY

Medics quickly placed an oxygen mask over the face of the young Slovak, who was lying motionless, before carefully loading her onto a stretcher and rushing her out of the La Defense arena as her British rival Abbie Wood watched on in horror. 

It comes as two other competitors suffered what appeared to be serious injuries in Paris’ Stade dé France yesterday as the athletics got underway in the French capital.