2025 World Championships
- July 27 – August 3, 2025 (pool swimming)
- Singapore, Singapore
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- LCM (50m)
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Australian sprinter Olivia Wunsch is the latest to scratch an event at this week’s World Championships with an illness. Wunsch, 19, finished 7th in the heats of the women’s 100 freestyle on Thursday morning in 53.74.
Britain’s Freya Anderson, who was 17th in prelims in 54.39, has been pulled into finals in her stead.
Swimming Australia confirmed that she was “pulling up unwell” in its daily recap, but did not address the nature of her illness. Tom Decent of the Sydney Morning Herald posted on X that there was “no concerns (regarding) food poisoning sleeping through the team (at the moment).”
She is the latest swimmer this week whose entries have been impacted by illness. She joins countrymate Sam Short, who scratched the 800 free final with what he referred to as food poisoning. Others impacted by gastrointestinal issues include most of the U.S. team, portions of the British team, and Italian Nicolo Martinenghi.
Short initially cited the hotel lunch, but Swimming Australia later released a statement saying that the source of his illness was still unknown.
Wunsch won a gold medal earlier in the meet by swimming the anchor leg of the Australian 400 free relay. She is also scheduled to swim the 50 free individually later in the meet.
Earlier this year, she was diagnosed with a case of glandular fever (also known as mono).
Bummer. That stomach bug is going around. Sucks.
Disappointing news. We wait to see whether she will swim on Saturday.
Hope we get to see what Wunsch can do with no health setbacks next year. Fingers crossed.
Hopefully she will be better for her 50 Free
Get well soon Liv ☹️
Glandular fever only a few months back, too.
Seems she’s been walking under the same ladders as Sam Short, though perhaps not as often. :/
Obvious she was below top form, and now we understand that more.
PS. I wonder about Tara Kinder too. There’s clearly something wrong with her, despite a very promising start on Day 1.
Someone said in another comment section she is sick.
Agree. Someone on another thread said sickness for her too.
Dammit!