Discussion takes place around the swimming pool following underwhelming performances by Phelps and Lochte at the World Championships
The 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore have been a mixed bag for the United States swimming team, with an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis affecting several top swimmers during a pre-championships camp in Phuket, Thailand.
The illness, which caused symptoms such as stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, forced some athletes to withdraw from races and affected performance times. Among those affected were Olympians Claire Weinstein and Gretchen Walsh, as well as Torri Huske and Luca Mijatovic. Some swimmers required hospital treatment and intravenous fluids.
Despite the setbacks, the team managed to recover and put up a strong showing. Gretchen Walsh, for instance, returned to swim a record-breaking gold medal race a day after missing an event due to illness.
Katie Ledecky, one of the team's top performers, will face Canadian Summer McIntosh in the final of the 800m freestyle later on Saturday. Lilly King cruised into the semi-finals of the 50m breaststroke, while Torri Huske and Gretchen Walsh qualified for the 50m freestyle semi-finals, finishing 13th- and 14th-fastest respectively.
In the heats, the US team topped the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay with a time of 3:21.48, finishing 2.73 seconds ahead of France. Florian Wellbrock of Germany was quickest in the 1,500m freestyle heats, with Bobby Finke comfortably qualifying for the final, finishing fifth-fastest.
Australia's Meg Harris posted a fast time of 24.32sec in the 50m semi-finals, with Torri Huske clocking 24.72 and Gretchen Walsh recording 24.79. Walsh, despite feeling "fragile", won 100m butterfly gold this week.
The competition in Singapore is set to conclude on Sunday, with the US team currently leading the medals table with five golds and 20 medals overall. The team sees Singapore as a launchpad for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
However, the outbreak has highlighted the importance of rigorous health and sanitation protocols during international training camps to minimize infectious risks. Proper management of such incidents is critical to safeguard athlete health and optimize championship outcomes, informing strategies for future Olympic preparation.
In a surprising turn of events, six-time Olympic gold medallist Ryan Lochte shared an image on Instagram depicting a funeral for US Swimming, with the inscription reading: "In loving memory of United States Swimming. They set the bar high -- until they stopped reaching for it." Michael Phelps, another legendary swimmer, shared Lochte's post and questioned if it was the wake-up call the US swimming team needed.
Despite the challenges, the US team remains optimistic, focusing on their performances and looking forward to the future, including the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles.
- The United States swimming team, who are looking forward to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, faced difficulties during a pre-championships camp in Phuket, Thailand, where an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis affected several top swimmers, including Olympians Claire Weinstein, Gretchen Walsh, Torri Huske, and Luca Mijatovic.
- In the world of sports, a friendly rivalry often exists between the United States and France, as showcased in the heats of the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay in the 2025 World Aquatics Championships in Singapore, where the US team finished 2.73 seconds ahead of France.
