July 31, (THEWILL) – The Olympic women’s and men’s triathlons were given the green light to take place on Wednesday, following improved water quality tests in the Seine River. This decision ended days of uncertainty over whether the central Paris swim would be viable after heavy rainfall.
The men’s event, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was postponed due to failed water quality tests. The announcement that both races would go ahead on Wednesday brought relief to teams, athletes, and Paris authorities who have promised a swimmable Seine as a long-term Olympic legacy.
Despite overnight rain, organisers approved the races based on river samples taken the previous day and after discussions with weather experts. The triathlon, a central feature of the Paris Olympics, starts and finishes at the Alexandre III bridge, taking athletes along the Champs-Elysees and past landmarks like the Musee d’Orsay.
The women’s race, featuring 55 athletes from 34 countries, began earlier, with top contenders Cassandre Beaugrand of France and Beth Potter of Britain starting side by side. The men’s event followed later.
Paris has invested 1.4 billion euros in wastewater infrastructure to improve river water quality. However, the decision to hold the triathlon in the Seine has been criticised by some athletes, with Belgium’s Marten Van Riel expressing frustration over the last-minute changes and questioning the prioritisation of athlete health.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
