"Help, help!" a person screamed from the swimming pool. Upon hearing the cry, a lifeguard jumped into the water and rushed to the person's aid. The person was taken safely to the edge of the pool, where a referee blew a whistle. In fact, nobody was really drowning; this was a scene from a recent lifeguard skills competition in Shanghai.
Lifeguards compete. (Photos: Yang Hui/Global Times)
The competition was held in a swimming pool in Pudong New Area, where 140 men and women lifeguards from 15 districts in Shanghai gathered.
The competition was designed to simulate emergency situations that may occur in local swimming pools. Drownings, accidents and even fights were all part of the event.
The lifeguards were paired up with actors who simulated these situations, though a dummy was used to simulate a drowning person at the bottom of the pool.
To prepare for the competition, the lifeguards underwent intensive training for two weeks, two hours per day.
According to the organizer, there are 7,000 licensed lifeguards in Shanghai. The competition aims to improve their skills and also promote swimming safety ahead of Shanghai's popular summer swimming season.
Lifeguards compete in a 100-meter swim.
Lifeguards throw ropes during the competition held in Pudong New Area on Sunday.