Hungarian swimmer hospitalised after swimming in the Seine amid health concerns

A 19-year-old Hungarian swimmer, Bettina Fábián, who finished fifth in the 10 km open-water race during the Paris Olympics, was taken to hospital after falling ill following the event. Fábián, who competed in the Seine, experienced nausea and a fever, likely caused by something ingested from the river, necessitating IV treatment.

Many hospitalised after swimming in the Seine

Photo: MTI/Czeglédi Zsolt

Fábián shared on social media that she started vomiting during the night and later developed a fever. She noted that several other competitors, including Germany’s Leonie Beck, also fell ill after swimming in the river, which flows through central Paris, Világgazdaság reported based on MTI.

Despite the ordeal, Fábián is now recovering and is on her way back to Hungary. The swimmer humorously mentioned that she attempted to disinfect herself after the race with a shot of pálinka, a traditional Hungarian spirit – we reported this HERE.

Hungary’s open-water swimmers have performed exceptionally well in the Seine despite concerns over the river’s pollution. Following Fábián’s 5th-place finish, Kristóf Rasovszky won gold, and Dávid Betlehem took bronze in the 10 km race on Friday.

Fábián is expected to head straight to Kopaszi Dam in Budapest from the airport on Saturday to meet with fans and the media at the Hungarian team’s fan zone, with her arrival anticipated between 16:00 and 16:30, Világgazdaság writes.

Read also:

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