There was a major scare at the swimming event of the National Sports Festival, yesterday, as a swimmer suffered a blackout midway into the women’s 1, 500 metres race.
Defending champion and national record holder in the event, Ifiezibe Gagbe, could have been a casualty, but for quick thinking of swimming officials and lifeguards.
Gagbe stopped swimming halfway into the gruelling 15-lap 1,500 metres race and started sinking to the bottom of the pool before the lifeguards sprang into action to fish her out of the pool.
Deborah Okpochini of Delta State went on to win the race to give Delta State another gold medal from swimming and keep the host dominant in the Sports Festival.