Don't drink the water

BEIJING -- We've all been so careful about not drinking the water here.

That hasn't always been the case on other trips. Of course, it wasn't the nicest way to drop five pounds in Cuernavaca a couple of years ago.

Despite that, I thought it was bordering on paranoia here when one of my Chicago Tribune family colleagues, I think it was K.C. Johnson, said he was worried about accidentally taking in some water when he showered. Guess he won't be able to sing in the shower for the duration of the Olympics.

So this is the long way of getting to Dara Torres, who was back in action Friday night after it seemed as though she had disappeared from the Olympics. She was in the prelims of the 50 freestyle and posted a decent time, 24.58 seconds, the third-fastest behind Cate Campbell of Australia and Marleen Veldhuis of the Netherlands.

"I feel good. I had a little upset stomach all morning," Torres said in the mixed zone.

"Water or something, I don't know what it was," she added. "Went to the doctor, he gave me some stuff, so I feel much better now."

-- Lisa Dillman

Photo: Dara Torres was back in the Olympic pool Friday, competing in the prelims of the women's 50-meter freestyle event. Credit: Harry How / Getty Images