Before competing in the River Seine at the upcoming Olympics in Paris, Team GB’s marathon swimmers will be given vaccinations for typhoid and hepatitis A.
The water quality of the Seine has been questioned since a test event was called off last year due to high levels of E. coli found in the river samples.
Now, Britain’s Hector Pardoe has told : “We’re going to have a typhoid and hepatitis A vaccine beforehand, and be on antibiotics after the race – regardless of what the water samples show.”
It’s common for open water swimmers to use Pepto-Bismol for issues like acid reflux, diarrhea, and nausea after races, but the measures being taken for Paris are more extensive.
Pardoe emphasized that while he hasn’t needed such precautions before, British Swimming is prioritizing safety. He mentioned their caution in preparation for Paris. Last August, World Aquatics had to cancel the Paris leg of its Open Water Swimming World Cup due to water quality concerns deemed unacceptable for swimmers’ health.
French organizers have long aimed to address high water pollution levels, investing over £1.2bn in cleanup efforts. They aspire to overcome this challenge, especially as Paris is set to become only the second city after London to host three Olympics.
