US Swim Team Battles Gastroenteritis at Singapore Worlds

The United States swim team is contending with an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis that originated during their pre-meet training camp in Phuket, Thailand, and has affected several athletes at the start of the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Key swimmers impacted include Olympic champion Torri Huske, who withdrew from the women's 100m butterfly, and young talents Claire Weinstein and Luca Mijatovic, both of whom saw compromised performances or withdrew from their events. Despite the illness, Katie Ledecky appeared unaffected, qualifying fastest for the 400m freestyle final with a strong performance. Team officials have not disclosed the total number of athletes affected but acknowledged the illness has compromised multiple performances. The outbreak poses a challenge as the team seeks to rebound from a disappointing showing at the previous Olympics, with a notably young men’s squad aiming for improvement. The swimming competitions run through early August, with broad international broadcast coverage planned.