Spanish swimmer Fernando Alvarez paid an incredible personal tribute to the victims of the Barcelona terror attack, right at the start of his race.

Instead of diving in with the rest of his competitors, Alvarez stood on the blocks and waited for one minute before taking to the pool. 

Having been rejected in his call to the International Swimming Federation to hold a minute in silence, Alvarez took matters into his own hands. 

He was competing in the Masters World Championship in Budapest and felt there should have been an official moment of reflection to honour the 15 people killed in a terrorist attack in Barcelona last Thursday, reports Daily Mail. 

Spain was rocked as a van careered down Las Ramblas, injuring 100 in a catastrophe the government called a Jihadi attack.

And Alvarez remembered the dead in his own way, with video footage of the race shows his rivals diving, but Alvarez remaining stoically upright at the start with his arms aloft.

As the camera follows the athletes down the pool it takes a moment to realise not everyone is in the water. 

And it isn’t until the second length that Alvarez is seen in the pool. 

When questioned about his actions after the race he told local media: ‘They told me that it was not possible [to have minute’s silence] because neither a minute could be wasted.

‘So I started a minute later. But I do not mind, I have a feeling worth more than if I win all the gold medals in the world.’