// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Triathlete was 'very sick' in hospital after swimming in 'dirty' open water
Andrew Jones is an keen triathlete but chasing those triathlon dreams has also meant running the risk of getting ill.
A triathlete who travels the world to take part in races says making his dreams come true comes with serious risk after one event led to him being "very sick" in hospital.
Andrew Jones, from Carmarthen, takes part in various events, and has even earned a slot in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii this month.
But the triathlete said swimming in "dirty" open-water made him very unwell ahead of the event after he contracted Campylobacter, external — an infection caused by bacteria.
Triathlon Cymru said its Safer Blue Spaces project, which is the first of its kind, was now using small sampling devices on triathletes to test the water and provide reliable data on water quality in Wales.
Jones said contracting Campylobacter from polluted water was "pretty nasty".
"It made me very sick unfortunately. In the house on a Sunday evening, I felt really unwell," he said.
"My temperature went up, my heart rate went up, I was shaking uncontrollably and unfortunately went straight to A&E."
Triathlon Cymru has been working on a project to monitor water quality for athletes during open-water swimming events
He added: "I was in just over a week before one of the biggest races of my life. So very bad timing.