Nicole Auerbach

USA TODAY Sports

RIO DE JANEIRO — Swimming’s first Olympic moment came in a rather unexpected way.

Spain’s Miguel Duran Navia jumped into the pool prior to the start of the fourth heat of the men’s 400-meter freestyle Saturday. What appeared to be a false start led to an emotional exit from the pool deck, as Duran Navia collected his clothes and walked off slowly.

But he was called back to the starting blocks and allowed to compete in the heat — much to the crowd’s delight. Fans roared for the sudden favorite, who eventually finished eighth in the heat, and will not swim in Saturday night’s final.

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Why wasn’t he disqualified, you ask?

According to a FINA official, the swimmer in lane 3 (Denmark’s Anton Ispen) held up the start of the race by moving. The starter asked him to stand still, and that’s when the swimmer in lane 7 (Duran Navia) lost his balance while waiting for Ispen to be motionless. FINA ruled that it was not Duran Navia’s fault, and he could compete.

Though he didn’t advance, it was still a pretty amazing moment.