A 16-year-old national cross-country champion (2000 metres with obstacles) ducked an important qualifying race last Sunday after she realised a 66-year-old woman had just jumped from an overhead bridge into the river Almonda.
Nádia Carvalho dived to the rescue, giving no thought to the race she was meant to be taking part in.
She stayed with the woman till help arrived, telling reporters who hailed her a heroine: “There are races every year, but lives only come once”.
Says tabloid Correio da Manhã, Nádia’s actions “saved a certain death”, though they disqualified her from European championships in her category.
The teen said that once she reached the woman: “I consoled her, gave her love and sympathy. I told her everything would be all right”.
Photo: Facebook
