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Uncategorized Thursday, August 2nd 2012 at 6:55 pm

Yes, Olympic Swimmers Do Pee in the Pool

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We turn on our TVs to see them, standing on podiums with medals around their necks and their national hymns playing solemnly. What we forget is that these men and women are people too; they pee in the pool. According to Carly Geehr, a former swimmer on the U.S. National Swimming Team, Olympic swimmers relieve themselves right there in the pool. Whether or not you want to think about it, there it is, medal-winning Olympians swim in a pool full of pee.

Carly Geehr knows her way around a pee-filled pool. She has been swimming competitively since she was eight and even participated in the 1997 Pan Pacific Championships at the age of 12. She helped Team USA win a second-place medal in the 800 meter free relay at the Pan America Games.

A question popped up on the question-and-answer website Quora this morning asking, “Do Olympic or competitive swimmers ever pee in the pool?” To which Geehr responded:

“Nearly 100 percent of elite competitive swimmers pee in the pool. Regularly. Some deny it, some proudly embrace it, but everyone does.”

It gets even better! Geehr continues by saying:

“Warmup/practice – totally free reign. As a swimmer, you just have to accept that you’re swimming in pee. I had a teammate that would sit on the wall and announce “I’m peeing!” which was … disgusting … but at least she warned us. I’m sure I’ve swum directly behind people who were just letting it all out.”

So, competitive swimmers, ones that are good enough to go to the Olympics, practice and swim in a 164 by 82 foot toilet. Later on in her answer, Carly Geehr puts our minds at ease by saying that Olympic athletes would never pee during a race. This makes some sense if you think about it. Who wants to leave the pool after you just lost the 200 meter freestyle by a sixteenth of a second with a yellow spot on your speedo?

So, keep in mind that the Olympians aren’t that different from you or me; they win, they lose, and they pee in the pool.

(via Quora; image via The Huffington Post)

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  • Dr Coene

    Clean clean, Jean Chlorine. 

  • Nasty.

    As a kid, o.k. sure maybe but as an adult? I myself am able to control my bodily functions and holy shit shouldn’t we all be able to do that? Athlete or not, this is why I will never go into a public pool.  People are frickin nasty and have no respect for anyone else that use these facilities. 

  • Jack Bond

    “So, keep in mind that the Olympians aren’t that different from you or me; they win, they lose, and they pee in the pool.”

    Uh… They’re different from me. I’ve always had the bodily self control to avoid peeing in a pool. This isn’t normal. These people are freaks, and should feel like freaks.

  • Loris Linic

    I do swim and I dont pee in the pool. I think this article is rubbish.

  • fuzzface

    A small amount of pee in an Olympic-sized pool is supposed to be a big deal?  Besides, it’s a biological fact that pee is sterile.

  • http://www.facebook.com/alexcoady Alex Coady

    BORING.

  • J_keller

    I don’t pee in the pool. Not ever. Why are swimmers peeing in the pool? It’s disgusting.

  • Michael Kling

    I’ve been to the last three Olympics and have peed in the pool every time. The fact that I am not a swimmer, nor even a competitor, always garners me odd looks.

  • Juan Pablo Castaño

    please imagine how it would be like to be there… with all that nerve and adrenaline… maybe its not that easy as you say

  • Nasty.

    So you would pee yourself during a bike race or gymnastics or any other competition?  I think not.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_Z4CJFSWSF6NJQ2QO56FEBHKHJM K

    Yeah, I don’t get this.  Unless they are marathon swimmers, there’s no reason for them to pee in the pool.  If gymnasts can avoid peeing during a set, so can swimmers.

  • idlethoughts

    You bike and run with your lower body submersed in warm water?

  • Dealwitit

    A race is like fight or flight – and as someone who swam competitively up to my late teens – sometimes your coach doesn’t give you a break to get out. It’s as simple as that. Also, yeah – there’s a reason a hand in warm water is an age ol’ trick. Now imagine 1-2 hours fully submerged in warm water. 

  • Just keep swimming!

    You’re obviously not a swimmer! It’s definitely a swimmer thing. We put the P in pool ;)