At least 57 athletes get diarrhoea at Sunderland’s World Triathlon Series event

Competing in the World Triathlon Championship Series in Sunderland left 57 people with sickness and diarrhoea.

Around 2000 people participated in the events last weekend with a chunk of those who competed in sea swimming events left feeling under the weather. A swim off Sunderland’s blue flag Roker beach was included in the event, with the testing of samples underway.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is taking samples from those suffering to establish the cause, after an Environment Agency found there to be 3,900 E Coli colonies per 100ml of water three days before the event.

Those numbers were 39 times higher than typical readings from the month before, with E coli a bacterial infection that can cause bloody diarrhoea and pain in the stomach.

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British Triathlon say that those findings were not only not published until after the event, but that they were outside the body of water that included the competition.

The Guardian report that a long-running battle over sewage discharges between campaigners and the government have been taking place in the area.

Northumbrian Water now say that it is not to blame for illnesses because no discharges have been recorded that might have an affect since 2021.

Australian triathlete Jacob Birtwhistle posted the result of the agency and said: "Have been feeling pretty rubbish since the race, but I guess that’s what happens when you swim in s***.

"The swim should have been cancelled."

A second athlete said in response: "At least I know what got me and a bunch of other athletes who raced sick and ill."

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British Triathlon say they are working closely with Sunderland City Council as Environment Agency officials say that test findings were delayed due to laboratory analysis

The UKHSA said: "UKHSA is working with British Triathlon to encourage anyone who participated and has or had symptoms after the event to contact the organisers who will then pass details onto the UKHSA North East Protection team.

"The team will undertake an investigation of cases."

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