World canoeing champion Óscar Graña saves woman from drowning in Pontevedra river - again

The kayaking marathon title-holder, who is also a National Police officer, saw a 61-year-old barely-conscious woman in the water, threw himself in and pulled her up by the head so she could breathe, before swimming with her to shore.

He was off duty at the time, at 10.20 yesterday (Monday), and was practising on the river in his canoe.

Once the victim was out of the river, he performed CPR on her and put her in the recovery position once she had started breathing and her pulse had returned, so she could spit out the water she had swallowed.

Medics, who took her away in an ambulance, say her family had reported her missing in the early hours of yesterday morning.

She is believed to have survived and be recovering in hospital.

This is the second time Óscar has saved a woman from drowning in the same river.

In almost-identical circumstances, when he was practising in his kayak on July 30, 2015, he dragged a woman out of the water and carried out CPR on her.

She, too, is believed to have recovered.

Although he deserves a medal for each of these incidences, Óscar has won 11 for his sport alone in world kayaking marathon championships, of which three were gold, plus another eight medals in European championships, in which he has also won three titles.

Photograph by the Royal Spanish Canoeing Federation (RFEP)