Previously, the 71-year-old Alvarez appealed to the competition organizers to hold a minute's silence before the veterans' 200-meter breaststroke race. However, the International Swimming Federation (FINA) had his request refused.
This didn't stop Fernando Alvarez from paying a personal tribute to those killed in the attacks in Catalonia. In this video, Alvarez stands motionless on the starting block for 60 seconds, while the rest of the athletes jump into the pool to compete.
On August 17, separate attacks in Barcelona and Cambrils left 15 people dead and some 130 injured.
