By Olympic kite surfer Bruno Lobo used his athletic prowess for good while rescuing a drowning woman from the ocean.
Lobo was kite surfing and testing his camera off the coast of the city of São Luís, Brazil, on Friday when he encountered a woman in distress in the water.
“After sailing a few meters I heard a cry for help and looked at the girl who was drowning,” he explained in a post on Instagram, which was accompanied by a video of the incident. “I promptly approached her with the kite, tried to calm her down and asked her to climb on my back (as) she was very tired and had no strength.”
Lobo, 31, explained that he used his equipment to get the woman to safety where lifeguards helped her.
“I was very surprised at that moment to see someone at that level in the sea, and when I recognized that she was drowning I promptly went in her direction to help,” he told CNN Sport.
“I am very happy that there was a happy end and she is fine! For sure if she stayed (longer) in the water she wouldn’t be,” he added.
The athlete, who competed at this year’s Paris Olympics, also told CNN Sport that he had been in touch with the woman to ensure she is well.
He used his Instagram post to issue a warning about “the danger of the sea, rivers and any place you don’t know as the current in some places tends to be very strong!”
Lobo added: “Thank you for all the messages, I only did what needed to be done and what was within my power!”
The rescued woman expressed her thanks to the athlete in the comments of the post, per Olympics.com, who reported that she said: “Words can’t describe my gratitude.”
