Rio Olympics 2016: Olympic swimmer Evgeny Korotyshkin takes chilling picture of gun-slinging masked children AS they rob him in Rio

A FORMER Olympic swimmer has posted a chilling image on social media as he was robbed at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Evgeny Korotyshkin uploaded a picture of two young boys he met on the street who asked him for money.

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But these two young lads – who can’t be more than 12 or 13 – were no beggars.

The masked pair were heavily armed and robbed the former Olympian, who is now President of Moscow swimming federation and visiting in Rio to support Team Russia.

Pictured against a backdrop of a graffiti-covered wall, one of the boys can be seen to have a handgun in a holster attached to his swimming shorts.

The other can be seen grinning as he brandishes an assault rifle, complete with what appears to be a telescopic sight.

The deadly weapons look like toys in the hands of the children – but in reality they are anything but.

Korotyshkin – an Olympic silver medallist and former world record holder – said the boys agreed to a picture in exchange for everything in his pockets.

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They apparently allowed him to take a souvenir snap of them and upload it to Instagram before they “parted amicably”.

The ex-athlete told pals not to worry as he wasn’t hurt in the incident, which apparently occurred near Ipanema Beach.

The area is an affluent neighbourhood in the south of the city, located near the famous Copacabana seafront area which is popular with tourists.

Korotyshkin’s robbery is not the first incident involving violence or threats at this year’s Olympic Games.

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A soldier was shot in the head by machine gun-wielding drug barons as he protected the Olympics this week.

Helio Vieira was gunned down after driving down the wrong street and entering a crime-infested favela.

And on Tuesday a bus transporting around a dozen journalists to the Olympic Park had its windows smashed by bullets.

Witnesses described hearing a "popping noise" before the glass shattered and passengers ducked to the ground for cover.