In Rio, even Olympic swimmers need lifeguards

Lifeguards at the Rio Olympics appeared to be aware of the irony of their positions.

(Image credit: Doug Mills/The New York Times)

last updated 9 August 2016

The expression on this Olympic lifeguard's face just about sums up what we're all thinking about her job making sure the world's best swimmers successfully, well, swim:

All in all, the Rio Olympics has about 75 lifeguards on hand to supervise water sports, including "diving, synchronized swimming, water polo, and white-water kayaking" in addition to swimming events, The Washington Post reported. While lifeguards could very well come in handy in some of those events, like water polo or kayaking, where there is a bit more of a risk for injury, even Olympic lifeguards can't help but poke fun at their job — and the thought that they could be tasked with rescuing 19-time gold medal-winner Michael Phelps from the pool. "We joked to each other, 'We're here to save him!'" said Danielle Martelote, the lifeguard supervisor at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium. "But we hope and expect that all the athletes will be fine."