Japanese swimmer stretchered out

By Derek Parr

BEIJING (Reuters) - Japanese synchronized swimmer Hiromi Kobayashi suffered breathing difficulties in the team final on Saturday and had to be carried away on a stretcher.

Two men dived in from the poolside at the end of the Japanese free routine and helped Japanese team members get Kobayashi to the side.

She was lifted from the water and placed on a stretcher. A Japanese official said shortly afterwards that she had recovered.

"The team leader told me what happened to her was too much breathing," Japan's Olympic team press attache Hiroshi Takeuchi told Reuters.

"She's okay. She's clearly conscious and it's nothing serious. She's in bed, lying down. She's all right."

Japan was fifth equal, outside the medals, behind Russia, Spain, China and Canada.

It was the first time they had not won a medal in the team competition since the event was introduced to the Olympic program at the 1996 Atlanta Games.