Belgian triathlete who fell ill after Seine race says she did not contract E. coli

By Chris Liakos and Kyle Feldscher, CNN

Paris (CNN) — The Belgian triathlete who fell ill after swimming in the women’s race says that she did not contract E.coli.

In a post on her Instagram page Tuesday, Claire Michel said she felt the need to “clarify a few things” following “conflicting information.”

“Blood tests showed that I contracted a virus (not E. Coli),” Michel said, adding that after three days of vomiting and diarrhea, she ended up needing “significant” medical attention at the Polyclinic in the Olympic village.

Michel did not specify the virus she contracted.

On Sunday, the Belgium Olympic Committee announced that its team was dropping out of the triathlon mixed relay race after Michel fell ill. The move – along with the Swiss team needing to replace one of its athletes who had developed a gastrointestinal infection – raised more questions about the water quality in the Seine.

The statement did not specify Michel’s illness but had pointed words that appeared to be aimed at organizers: “The COIB and Belgian Triathlon hope that lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games such as guaranteeing training days, competition days and the competition format, which must be clarified in advance and ensure that there is no uncertainty for the athletes and support personnel.”

Michel, who has now returned to Belgium, said she is “gradually” doing better.

The triathlon races took place in the River Seine after water quality results were deemed “very good” by the organizers. The marathon swimming races are also scheduled in the Seine for Thursday and Friday.

Marathon swimmers were cleared to enter the water to train Wednesday morning in the French capital, a day after organizers canceled a training session due to “water quality concerns.”

Paris 2024 said in statement Wednesday that the latest test results “have been assessed as compliant by World Aquatics,” allowing for the familiarization session to go ahead.

Cleaning up the Seine

The decision to hold some swimming events in the famous river that splits Paris raised eyebrows when it was first announced. Swimming in the Seine has been illegal for a century but, in their desire to put the host city on full display, organizers worked up a plan to clean up the river so the world’s best athletes could use it during Paris 2024.

About $1.5 billion (1.4 billion Euros) had been spent trying to clean up the river ahead of the Games and Paris officials have made a big show of displaying its suitability. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the river earlier last month to display her confidence in the river’s water quality and promised to put a swimming pool in the river after the Games. The French sports minister has also gone for a dip in the Seine.

One of the key infrastructure projects designed to help tackle pollution has been a new rainwater storage basin – called the Austerlitz basin – which can hold 20 Olympic swimming pools worth of water, according to a statement from Paris 2024.

Following rainy weather on June 17 and 18, the basin filled to 80% capacity, successfully preventing 40,000 cubic meters (40 million liters) of wastewater and rainwater from being discharged into the Seine, according to the city of Paris.

But the water quality can change fast. Official data shows one-off rainfall events can quickly cause E. coli levels to spike again, and as recently as June 30 – following rain the previous day – E. coli levels increased to around 2000 CFU/100mL at Alexandra III Bridge, where the race is set to begin.

That’s double the level needed for “good” water quality, as per World Triathlon standards.

For much of the month before the games, E. coli levels were above acceptable levels, which could expose athletes to serious health concerns. If E. Coli levels are above 1000 CFU/100mL, the swimming leg of the triathlon will have to be cancelled, according to World Triathlon competition rules, unless the organization’s medical committee decides the race can go ahead.

The individual triathlon races took place with a 1.5-kilometer swim, followed by a 40K bike race – passing by the Le Grand Palais and the Champs-Élysées – before finishing with a 10K run through the heart of the city.

The mixed team relay race involving four athletes – two men and two women – saw each team member completing a 300-meter swim, followed by a 5.8K bike ride and 1.8K run.

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