On Wednesday, the Paris 2024 Olympic triathlons for both men and women took place, despite some lingering concerns about the water quality in the River Seine.
The events were given the green light after it was confirmed that the water had improved enough to meet safety standards.
The triathletes faced disruptions in their preparation, with swimming training canceled on Sunday and Monday. The men’s race was even postponed on Tuesday as organizers grappled with the issue of E. coli bacteria levels in the river.
There was even talk of switching the event to a duathlon if conditions didn’t improve.
BBC pundit and former Olympic swimmer Mark Foster shared his thoughts on the situation. He suggested that the athletes might have been particularly keen to see the races happen despite the water quality concerns.
“I woke up in the middle of the night to find it raining a bit, which usually isn’t great for river pollution.
I thought the races might be called off,” Foster said. “I wonder if the triathletes themselves had a meeting and decided, ‘We’re swimming today, no matter what.’ After all, a triathlon isn’t complete without the swimming segment.”
Both World Triathlon and Paris 2024 confirmed that the water quality in the Seine met their strict standards. Tests conducted late on Tuesday confirmed the water was safe for competition.
According to a statement, a meeting held early on July 31st, including representatives from Paris 2024, World Triathlon, and other officials, concluded that the races could proceed as scheduled.
Athletes’ Reactions
Despite the assurances, some athletes voiced their concerns.
American triathlete Seth Rider mentioned that he had tried to increase his tolerance to E. coli through exposure in daily life. Meanwhile, Belgium’s Jolien Vermeylen criticized the water quality, describing it as unpleasant and expressing frustration about the event’s necessity.
“The Seine has been dirty for a hundred years. They can’t claim athlete safety is a priority. It’s a disgrace!” Vermeylen said. “I drank a lot of the water and now we’ll see if I get sick. I tried everything I could, but in the end, I had to drink it.”
A Sense of Relief and Success
Despite the challenges, the races went off as planned. The event organizers, who had invested around £1.2 billion to improve the river, were relieved. In the men’s race, Britain’s Alex Yee secured a dramatic win, overtaking New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde just before the finish.
In the women’s event, France’s Cassandre Beaugrand took gold while Team GB’s Beth Potter earned a bronze medal.
The triathlons were a testament to the resilience of both athletes and organizers, highlighting the complexities of hosting major events in challenging conditions.
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