2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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Great Britain’s Ben Proud was the silver medalist in the men’s 50 freestyle last night, finishing the event in 21.26, just over a tenth behind Australia’s Cameron McEvoy.
This was his 5th World Championship medal in this event, and, while the club of athletes with five Worlds medals in the same event is probably more desirable, he also joined another club. The swimmers facing GI distress, or “tummy troubles” this week.
In a post-race interview with Nick Hope, Proud revealed that the “viral buckets going around got the better of [him] after the 50 fly.”
He is the latest in a long line of athletes to get sick at this meet, an outbreak that began at the United States training camp in Thailand, and has now spread to many of the athletes at the World Championships.
Most of them are not letting the upset stomach get to them, and athletes like Nicolo Martinenghi and Torri Huske won medals despite being plagued by illness, and Proud is part of that group.
In the interview, Proud said that “yesterday (meaning the day of the 50 free prelims and semifinals) was a pretty brutal day to get through, but I’m really happy for the support from my doctor here just to be able to put the symptoms to bay, and get my energy levels right just for this one race. The result tonight is something I’m really really surprised of and quite happy with.”
🇬🇧’s Ben Proud reveals he overcame illness to win World 🥈 & how special it was to have his father watch in the stands, so close to where he grew up in Malaysia 💙
Interview for @WorldAquatics 🎙️ pic.twitter.com/NnnoIgooqp
— Nick Hope – the athlete’s journalist (@NickHopeTV) August 2, 2025
Proud was 5th in the men’s 50 butterfly final after qualifying 3rd for the final, and he is done with his events for the week.
I remember the day he set his first British record in the 50 free in a time trial at regionals as a ‘skinny’ little teenager like it was yesterday. Poolside was in total disbelief after he’d left trials disappointed just a few weeks earlier. I can’t quite believe we are 12 years, 3 world titles and 8 world championship medals later. Where does the time go?
Still the best rig in the business at 30yrs young- proud of his effort to claim silver 🙏
Would you say he’s a Proud member of this club?
Badumtisssss
He doesn’t look well in the imbedded video, proper mentality to get it done. We’ve talked a lot about the illness in Singapore, but I think we’d still be surprised by the extent of it if we knew the actual numbers who’ve gone down during the week.
Wait I’m kind of confused, I was under the impression that food poisoning comes from eating something contaminated or unsafe. How does this spread? Or is this like another different wave of sickness in Singapore
it wasn’t food poisoning, it’s a GI virus
It’s not food poisoning.
The Americans lied.
It’s GI virus that they acquired in Thailand and spread it to other swimmers in Singapore.
Can anyone clarify exactly what the World Aquatics rules are regarding competition while having active symptoms (ie diarrhea)? It does not seem like this whole situation has been handled well. The training camp idea was a disaster all the way around. But after that, knowing athletes were still having symptoms that could be contagious, what were the steps that were supposed to have been taken?
FYI, you can unknowingly spread a virus before you become contagious. You can also have mild GI symptoms which may simply resemble pre-race nerves (which many healthy athletes deal with every competition).
Not the question I asked. I am asking about WA rules in regard to active diarrhea. Anyone know?
Guys, guys, let’s get it straight – “food poisoning”.
Thanks for your attention on this matter!
DON’T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR SUIT AND SAY THANK YOU