Canadian triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk, 29, became an internet sensation after he vomited multiple times during the Paris Olympics. Mislawchuk, who finished ninth in the competition, was in contention for a medal halfway through the final leg of the race when he began to feel unwell.
Mislawchuk, a three-time Olympian, was in third place alongside two French competitors for approximately 5.5 to 6 kilometers. Despite his previous Olympic experiences, including injuries and other challenges, Mislawchuk was determined to give his best in Paris. He had finished 15th in both the Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 games.
The athlete attributed his mid-race sickness to the high temperatures, a stark contrast to his home climate. Mislawchuk hails from Oak Bluff, Winnipeg, where winter temperatures can plummet to -50 degrees Celsius, equivalent to -58 degrees Fahrenheit. On the day of the race, the air temperature was recorded at 78.4 Fahrenheit at the start and rose to 82.04 Fahrenheit an hour after the race concluded.
Mislawchuk’s journey to the Paris Olympics was marked by numerous challenges, including an Achilles tear, a concussion, and several crashes. Despite these setbacks, he arrived at the start line healthy and ready to give his all. Throughout the race, he motivated himself by setting small milestones, pushing himself until he crossed the finish line.
However, many speculated that the water in the Seine River, where the triathlon took place, was to blame for Mislawchuk’s illness. The pre-race training events and the men’s race were postponed due to high levels of E. coli bacteria found in the river. Despite this, officials gave the go-ahead for the individual triathlons to proceed on Wednesday, even though pre-race test readings in parts of the swim course were still above acceptable limits.
Several triathletes voiced their concerns about the conditions in the Seine. Belgium’s Jolien Vermeylen reported feeling debris in the water during the women’s triathlon, and Dutch competitors described the water as “disgusting” and “dirty.”
In preparation for the Olympics, Paris officials had embarked on an ambitious $1.5 billion infrastructure improvement plan to clean up the long-polluted Seine. Despite these efforts, the water quality remained a contentious issue throughout the games.