SwimSwam can confirm that all members of Team USA are now in Singapore for the World Championships, which run from July 27 – August 3, a spokesperson from USA Swimming confirmed just moments ago.
The news comes following illness reports at the team’s training camp at Thanyapura Phuket, a sport and health resort in Phuket, Thailand that features an eight-lane, 50-meter Olympic pool.
On Tuesday, July 22, a coach with an athlete on the team described the illness as affecting “almost half” of the roster. Yesterday, sources close to Team USA confirmed to SwimSwam that about 10 U.S. athletes had to stay behind in Phuket because they were too sick to travel to Singapore with the rest of the team. All swimmers were originally scheduled to travel together on the 22nd.
The news also comes as armed clashes broke out today between Thailand and Cambodia in contested border areas, rapidly escalating months-long tensions, according to the Associated Press. The fighting included gunfire exchanges, shelling and rocket fire, which Thai authorities said killed a Thai soldier and 13 civilians and injured 14 soldiers and 32 other civilians. Thailand has since responded with air strikes.
There is a general push to make swimming high profile, bigger and more lucrative for the athletes and the promoters.
Gambling comes along with that. The names of all the sick swimmers will probably have to be to be released, just as the NFL issues an injury report. If the names are not released it would appear the information could be used by insiders for a gambling edge.
I am not a gambler and I am thinking about this. You can be sure the gambling public has already considered this.
When you become a public figure you lose your privacy. It is unfortunate.
Hope everyone is doing well, specially the heavy schedule owners; torri huske with all those anchor duties , being on all five relays
Pro Athletes need to be careful what they consume.
Goodness knows what goes on in a buffet kitchen.
And I’m not just talking about bacterial contamination
Chemical additives may cause issues
Absolutely! And from what I am hearing, they are still eating from a buffet in Singapore! This is inexcusable on the Part of USA Swimming! They are dealing with an at this point unknown illness with people still trying to get fully well and are all serving themselves from a buffet?
How stupid are they?! I would bring my own food. I would never trust the food there.
Most food borne illness comes as a result of contaminated water. It could be, for example, contaminated water that was used to wash salad leaves or even ice. Thanyapura is an excellent facility, I’ve never had an issue with their food, they look after so many visitors, I can only suspect it was some sort of water source.
While the conflict is alarming, the Cambodian border is no where near Phuket and not particularly relevant to the issues facing the US swim team 🌏
I know right!
The closest Thai – Cambodia border is more than 1,000 km away from Phuket.
It would be like saying swimmers training in Raleigh, NC are in danger because there’s skirmishes between Maine and Canada.
You got this team!! Nothing like a little adversity – this comes with the territory of international travel. Sorry it happened! Good luck to all! We’re cheering for you!
There could be silver lining:
The extra rest is giving the swimmers better taper!
I thought I had N Fowleri for like the last week. Have a new perspective on life now
The other swim site claims one of the big victims is Tori huske
That other site also indicated that sources are now indicating it might not have been food poisoning, since some who were not sick initially have since become sick, suggesting that a virus or bacterial infection may have spread among the team.
Oh dear lord, I REALLY hope that is not the case
God I hope not, but you gotta be skeptical about unnamed sources
Suffering morning sickness in solidarity with Team USA. Hopefully they start feeling better soon!
Ahhhhh me too! Hats off and sympathy to you!