Water quality 'never an issue' for Canadians swimming in Rio, coach says

By Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press

After two hours in the water off Copacabana Beach, Canadian swimmer Stephanie Horner felt a little seasick upon returning to shore.

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"Right now I'm on land and I can still feel the waves," she said with a chuckle. "But it's OK."

It was the constant swells and not water quality issues that were one of the biggest challenges for the 27-year-old swimmer in Monday's 10-kilometre open water race at the Rio Games.

Horner finished 23rd in the first Olympic swimming event held in the city's polluted water. Dutchwoman Sharon van Rouwendaal won gold in one hour, 56 minutes 32.1 seconds.

Water quality has been a hot-button issue in the months leading up to the Games, with reports indicating viruses and bacteria from sewage are at dangerously high levels in some areas around Rio.

But Dr. Bob McCormack, the Canadian Olympic Committee's chief medical officer, said this month that quality tests met international standards at event venues and the athletes were comfortable.

Horner said she took all the necessary precautions before coming to Brazil. Athletes were also told to try to keep water intake to a minimum, which can be tough to do in a marathon swim.

"I'm sure I swallowed lots of water," Horner said. "But I think anywhere I'd be in the world, wherever I'd race, you tend to swallow water."

Ocean'pretty clean'

The Canadiannoted the water was clearer than many of her swims at lake venues, where the water appears darker.

"It's pretty clean. I like the fact that once my hand enters I can see it."

The water temperature was about 21 degrees at the start of the race on a gorgeous morning along the scenic beach. There were choppy spots around the coursebut overall conditions were decent.

"It's salty, but it's the ocean," Horner said. "It's not calm and it's meant to not be calm."

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She added there were no fish sightings or any floating debris in the water.

"Just swimmers," she said.

Canadian coach Stephen Price said there were no reports of any gastrointestinal issues from any of the swimmers who trained in the water over the last few days. He said he didn't have concerns since both team officials and FINA, the sport's governing body, tracked the water quality on a regular basis.

"We had water reports from our doctors here and it was not a problem," Price said. "No worse than say Vancouver, swimming in English Bay. There's always going to be some stuff in there, but as long as it's not over the top.

"It was never an issue for us."