Slovakian swimmer Tamara Potocká, 21, collapses at Paris Olympics

Slovakian athlete Tamara Potocká 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-meter 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.

But moments later her legs buckled and she tumbled to the ground, managing to sit down for a few seconds before falling backwards.

Potocká was seen in distress at the side of the pool even as another eight swimmers lined up in preparation for the next heat, until organisers realised something was wrong and medical staff descended on the scene.

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 stadium as fellow swimmers and spectators alike watched on in horror. 

Her condition is not yet known.