Paris Olympics: Concerns Over E. Coli Levels Force Former Alabama Swimmer to Withdraw from Open-Water Event

Former Alabama swimmer Victor Johansson, who represented Sweden at the Paris Olympics, had already competed in the men’s 400-meter, 800-meter, and 1,500-meter freestyle events. However, his Olympic journey took an unexpected turn when he was scheduled to participate in the men’s 10-kilometer open-water race in the Seine River on Friday. Johansson ultimately withdrew from the event due to concerns about high E. coli levels in the river.

The decision came after the Swedish medical team recommended Johansson refrain from competing, citing the potential health risks associated with the water quality. Johansson expressed his disappointment in a statement to Stockholm's Dagens Nyheter, translated by swimswam.com: "After considering the recommendation and weighing all the risks, it felt like the best decision was to withdraw. People have become ill, and although the E. coli levels have decreased, it didn’t feel safe to compete."

This decision followed reports of Belgium triathlete Claire Michel being hospitalized after contracting E. coli during competition. The pollution levels in the Seine had already disrupted the Olympic schedule, causing the cancellation of training sessions for triathletes and open-water swimmers. Additionally, the men’s and women’s triathlon events were condensed into a single day due to these concerns.

Despite the challenges, the men’s 10-kilometer open-water swim took place, with Hungary’s Kristof Rasovszky winning the gold medal in 1 hour, 50 minutes, and 52.7 seconds, edging out Germany’s Oliver Klemet by just 2.1 seconds. However, Johansson was not the only swimmer to forgo the race; another swimmer also withdrew, and four competitors did not finish.

In his pool events, Johansson had a respectable performance, ranking 18th in the 400-meter freestyle, 16th in the 800-meter freestyle, and 17th in the 1,500-meter freestyle. Johansson previously swam for the Crimson Tide during the 2022-23 season.

Meanwhile, former Alabama golfer Stephanie Meadow, representing Ireland, found her rhythm on the back nine at Le Golf National, where she recorded four birdies and achieved her best round of the women’s golf tournament with an even-par 72 on Friday. After struggling in the first two rounds, Meadow improved her standing, moving from 52nd to a tie for 44th as she heads into the final round on Saturday.

At Stade de France in Saint-Denis, former Auburn sprinter Ebony Morrison faced a setback when she was disqualified in the semifinals of the women’s 100-meter hurdles for missing a hurdle. Morrison, who represents Liberia, had advanced to the semifinals after winning a Repechage Round race in 12.82 seconds on Thursday.

Additionally, former Alabama sprinter Jereem Richards ran the second leg for Trinidad and Tobago in the men’s 4-by-400-meter relay on Friday. Unfortunately, the team’s time of 3 minutes, 6.73 seconds was not enough to advance beyond the first heat of Round 1 qualifying.