The River Thames: Dozens of triathletes suffer severe vomiting and diarrhoea with one 'throwing up blood' after swimming in UK river

At least 35 triathletes have fallen ill suffering severe vomiting and diarrhoea after swimming in the River Thames. One said he was left “completely nauseous” while another competitor said she was “throwing up blood, feeling faint”.

Their symptoms came after they swam the leg of the 2,800-person Royal Windsor Triathlon in Berkshire on Sunday (9 June). It comes as water companies across the UK are under intense scrutiny over the amount of sewage discharges into rivers and seas. 

Mr Parry, a 56-year-old TV producer who competed in the race, told The Independent: “I found myself getting sicker and sicker and I eventually had to rush out of a meeting to be sick. I had to get a taxi back to my house and had to stop, throwing up outside the Victoria & Albert museum. I was completely nauseous and spaced out.

“It was clearly caused by swimming in the River Thames. A number of athletes have reported illness. It is too many to be a coincidence.”

Mr Parry blamed organisers Human Race and Thames Water, and claimed he fell ill as a result of Britain’s “utterly dysfunctional water regulation system”. Triathlete Rebecca Norman, from Reading, also said she was throwing up blood and had to go to A&E 24 hours after the triathlon. The 21-year-old told the BBC: “I was throwing up blood, feeling faint, had a fever, exhaustion and the worst stomach cramps I have ever experienced.”

A Thames Water spokesperson said it would be “misinformed” to “conclude that this is a result of Thames Water activities”. The spokesperson said: “We support the government’s advice on open water swimming and are committed to seeing our waterways thrive.

“River health is not the sole responsibility of Thames Water and there are many factors which influence river quality including pollutants, animal faeces from livestock and wildlife, along with run off from farms and roads. It would therefore be misinformed to automatically conclude that this is a result of Thames Water activities. Our nearest sewage treatment works in the area is Slough, and it has not discharged since early April.”