2019 European Fair Play Plaque of Merit and Diploma under the auspices of the European Olympic Committees

During the opening discipline in triathlon - 1.500 metres free style swimming in the Yellow Sea - one of the athletes suddenly had a heart attack and was almost drowning. The Slovak racer bumped into the body of this drowning man. He immediately shouted to the speedboat crew. As the boat of the organisers could not reach Michal, the only possibility was for him to carry the suffering swimmer to them. "I immediately pulled his head out of the water and put my arms around his neck. I saw that he wasn't breathing, his face was turning all purple, there were no signs of life," Michal described the moments. Once being safe on the boat, the lifeguards started CPR immediately and Michal went back to the race. He later admitted that it was impossible for him to get rid of the image of the other swimmer’s grizzly face. Just on the finish line he found out that the man he helped was safe and sound.

26.09.2019