Paris Olympics: Lifeguard saves the day during swimming event

A lifeguard had his moment at the Paris Olympics after he fished out a cap from the bottom of the pool during a swimming event. The crowd cheered him, applauding loudly, as he came out of the pool and showed off the swimming cap. The incident happened when officials spotted something inside the pool. The object led to a delay in the proceedings. While the swimmers put on warm-up jackets, one man took off his clothes to save the day.  

The lifeguard came to the rescue and dived into the pool at La Défense Arena on Sunday in front of 15,000 people. Even before he entered the pool, people started cheering him on. Wearing colourful budgie smugglers, he swam down and emerged from the water with a cap in his hand. Turns out, American swimmer Emma Weber had lost one of her swim caps in the pool and didn't even know about it.

Everyone was focused on the lifeguard, who was the man of the moment. As he exited the pool with the cap in his hand, the crowd gave him a standing ovation, and he reciprocated all the love being showered by waving at them. 

“As the lifeguards are the only people wearing swimwear, apart from the athletes, a request may be made to fetch an item at the bottom of the pool prior to the next race. In this case, the request was made to the lifeguard closest to the item," a spokesperson of the Paris Olympics told CNN. 

The lifeguard was bestowed with several titles by the adoring crowds and even the media following the act, including "dad-bod hero" and “Bob the Cap Catcher”. 

“That was an Olympic moment,” one commentator said.

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Lifeguard does not want to be named

The lifeguard has requested to remain anonymous because he wants to focus on his duties for the rest of the tournament and does not want to be swayed by all the attention.

Olympics reporter Devin Heroux said, “I’ve confirmed who jumped into the water to get the swimming cap. It was a lifeguard in a speedo. He does not want to be named. Not all heroes wear capes. Or much at all.”

Paris Olympics kicked off on July 26 and will run till August 11.