A 24-year-old man was hospitalized after he was found unconscious in the swimming pool of the Cebu City Sports Complex (CCSC) last Wednesday night.
Lifeguards rescued Thomas Carlos Villanueva III, who collapsed after completing a few laps in the 50-meter pool.
Villanueva regularly swims in the pool.
“He was practicing alone last night. He usually comes here for practice, said Ricky Ballesteros, manager of CCSC.
The incident was captured by a security camera.
The man was seen bubbling in a four-meter-deep pool.
Bubbling is a technique for swimmers to breathe properly. As they surface, they inhale through the mouth and exhale through the mouth or nose underwater.
Lifeguards Marshall Hermoso and Kevin Alvarez rescued the man when he failed to resurface. He was taken to the St. Vincent Hospital located near the sports center.
Ballesteros said he may have collapsed from exhaustion.
“There were triathletes practicing with a separate group. He may have pushed himself to the limit to keep up with the pace,” said Ballesteros.