Swimmer's Olympics fears amid E. coli scare

Swimmer Leah Crisp has dreamed of competing in the Olympics since she was a little girl

An open water swimmer has said she hopes Olympics organisers have "a Plan B" after concerns were raised over the water quality in Paris.

Somerset athlete Leah Crisp, 22, said swimmers are concerned about the race going ahead after testing of the River Seine revealed "alarming" levels of E. coli.

"We're doing everything we can to plan for all eventualities," Ms Crisp said, who has been vaccinated for Typhoid and Hepatitis.

Paris 2024 president Tony Estanguet said contingency plans are in place, including delaying the event until later in the Games. Organisers are also investing £1.2bn (1.4bn euros) on "making the river safe".

Ms Crisp said she hopes there is a Plan B if the River Seine location falls through

Ms Crisp was "over the moon" when she qualified for the GB squad, who are heading to France next month.

Surfrider Foundation Europe said 14 water samples failed to meet safety standards.

The samples were taken from a section of the river where the triathlon, marathon swimming and para-triathlon events are due to take place.

"In open water there is always a little bit of uncertainty, but you just have to trust that what they do will work," she said.

Organisers are investing £1.2bn to make the Seine safe to swim

Ms Crisp said to avoid any "worry" she is "planning as if everything's perfect".

"This is an incredibly important race for so many people," she said.

"A lot of athletes would like for there to be a Plan B, so hopefully there is something going on in the background that we don't know about.

"We just have to hope that on the day everything works out OK."

Organisers are investing billions of pounds on a regeneration project to make the Seine safe to swim in, including a rainwater storage basin to reduce the risks of pollution.

The water will also be tested every day during the Olympics.

'We cried together'

Ms Crisp said she was at the world championships in Doha, Qatar, when she received the text message confirming her place at the Olympics.

"I was with my mum - we both had a bit of a cry together," she said.

"So many years of work for me and my family had fallen into place."

The open water swimmer said she is looking forward to "really soaking up the atmosphere" and "making her friends family and country proud".

The Olympic marathon swimming heats will take place between 8 August and the following day, and require athletes to complete a 10km (six miles) course.