Brazilian kitesurfer Bruno Lobo had no idea that the skill that helped him qualify for the Summer Olympic Games would also help him rescue a woman.
The Paris 2024 Olympian was caught in an unfamiliar situation when he heard a woman crying for help off the coast of Sao Luis, Brazil.
Towed by the flying kiteboarding equipment, the Brazilian reached out to the woman and lifted her on the shoulder, carrying her back to the shore, where lifeguards attended to them.
“The day that God used me as an instrument to save this young woman, all honour and glory to Him,” said the two-time Pan American Games champion in the Formula Kite Class.
Lobo, an Orthopaedic doctor, also said, “After sailing a few meters, I heard a cry for help and looked at the girl who was drowning. I quickly approached her with the kite. I tried to calm her down and asked to climb on my back. She was quite tired and without power. I used the equipment to bring her safely to the sand.”
Expressing her gratitude, the rescued woman said: “Words can’t describe my gratitude! It was the salvation that God and my guides sent to me. I really could not handle it if I spent five minutes on the high sea, even knowing how to swim and using anti-drowning techniques. I wish you showers of blessings in your life!”