Even as small children, we are taught that it is strictly forbidden to pee in the pool – but this is not something that competitive swimmers listen to.
– I’ve probably peed in every single pool I’ve swum in, says swimmer Lilly King, three-time Olympian for the USA.
While the world’s best swimmers aim for Olympic gold in Paris, a secret has come to light. The Wall Street Journal have spoken to several swimmers who all admit to emptying their bladders in the water.
Lilly King, three-time Olympian, has become a master at peeing during both competition and training.
– I can actually pee while swimming, which is a bit of a gift. It’s definitely a talent.
After the first pee: “The world changed for me”
Lilly King is far from alone. Swimmer Zach Harting, who competed for the United States at the Tokyo Olympics, vividly remembers the first time he hit a drill in the pool.
It all started during the Alabama High School Swimming Championships. Dressed in a tight race suit and with the start of the race just moments away, Zach Harting suddenly felt the need to pee. But he didn’t have time.
It all ended with him peeing in his suit in the pool. There and then a new habit had been established.
– The world changed for me. Every time I went to a pool after that, I only considered swimming in it if I peed in it, says Harting.
That’s why the swimmers pee in the pool
Although urinating in the pool is not allowed, the swimmers believe that they have their reasons for breaking the rules. One of them is the suits, which are so tight that they are difficult to take off. In addition, swimmers need to drink a lot of water before competitions.
– I always have to pee. Because I drink so much, says Jake Mitchell who competed in the Olympics in Tokyo 2020.
Yes, the peeing doesn’t seem to stop at first. But if you still want to relieve the pressure in the middle of the swim, four-time Olympian Cullen Jones has a tip.
– It is best to do it when others are not around. You don’t want to swim through a warm current, he says.
And luckily, the pools are not only filled with water and pee, but also a good dose of chlorine.