RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 9 (UPI) -- Scuba gear is typically considered cheating when it comes to swimming competitions at the Summer Games.
This week it was needed to recover Kathleen Baker's missing pearl earring.
Advertisement
Silver medalist Kathleen Baker, gold medal winner Katinka Hosszu of Hungary, bronze medal winner Kylie Masse of Canada and Yuanhui Fu of China stand for the medal ceremony after competing in the Women's 100m backstroke at the Olympic Aquatics Stadium at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on August 8, 2016. Photo by Matthew Healey/UPI | License Photo
Baker, a Team USA swimmer, lost the earring Sunday during a preliminary swim. Scuba divers later found it in Olympic Aquatics Stadium pool and gave it back. A video of the dive can be viewed here.
Hungary's @HosszuKatinka wins gold, @KathleenBaker2 wins silver in the 100m backstroke. https://t.co/BWGaUNiTHM https://t.co/8ZfAH7uv5R
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2016
The 19-year-old North Carolina native won silver Monday in the 100-meter backstroke.
If anyone sees @KathleenBaker2 's other ear ring on the bottom of the Olympic pool - pls grab it..@NBCOlympics pic.twitter.com/eTegW1H8Nl
— David Marsh (@dmswimmac) August 7, 2016
"This is the first time in my career I've actually only focused on one race," Baker told NBC Sports. "So I think I've done a lot of fine turning over the last few weeks. And it's really come together at the end."
Advertisement
BOOM! pic.twitter.com/sUXeX99OTj
— NBC Olympics (@NBCOlympics) August 9, 2016
Baker finished second to Hugary's Katinka Hosszu, who swam 58.45 for her second gold medal in Rio.
"I definitely have been through my fair share of adversity," Baker told the Charlotte Observer. "I think it really helps me appreciate the sport even more, knowing that it can be taken away from me. I love swimming more than anything in the world, and to be able to swim in the Olympics – it's an incredible feeling. I hope I inspired a lot of people today."
