A middle-aged foreigner who saved a drowning woman on Monday has been identified as the father of an equestrienne competing at the Youth Olympic Games and is expected to be honored by authorities in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

Panayiotis Stais, from South Africa, came to Nanjing, the host city of the Youth Olympic Games, with his younger daughter, who is a competitor in equestrian events, local newspaper Modern Express reported on Thursday.

On Monday, while Stais was having lunch at the Confucius Temple, a famous scenic spot in the city, he saw a woman struggling in a nearby river. Stais jumped into the river to rescue the woman and placed her in a recovery position on the bank.

Stais was a lifesaver in his youth and said his was a normal reaction if he saw someone in danger.

The public security of Qinhuai district of Nanjing said they are considering rewarding Stais for the rescue.