The men’s Olympic triathlon, scheduled for Tuesday, has been delayed due to concerns about water quality in the Seine River in Paris, where the swimming portion of the race was supposed to occur. Organizers announced that they are aiming to hold the men’s triathlon on Wednesday instead. The women’s competition, also scheduled for Wednesday, is subject to water tests as well. However, the risk of storms in the forecast for Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings could complicate rescheduling the events.
Heavy rains often lead to an increase in levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the Seine River. Paris witnessed a downpour during the Olympic opening ceremony on Friday, with rain persisting into Saturday. Due to concerns over water quality, the swimming portion of training events designed for the triathletes to familiarize themselves with the course was canceled on both Sunday and Monday.
The decision to postpone the men’s triathlon followed a meeting early Tuesday morning involving the sport’s governing body, World Triathlon, its medical team, and city officials. The event is now set to start at 10:45 a.m., potentially signifying heat as a factor. With Wednesday’s high temperature forecasted to be 95 F (35 C), the event may conclude during the hottest part of the day.
Efforts have been made to enhance the water quality in the historically polluted Seine River, allowing for the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swimming event in August to take place in the renowned river running through the city center; however, bacteria levels have remained unstable. Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria such as E. coli, with a safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters set by European regulations.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, along with other officials, took a public swim in the river recently to showcase the improvements made. The significant investment of 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) went into making the river suitable for swimming, including the construction of a basin to capture excess rainwater, revamping sewer infrastructure, and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.
Upcoming swimming events planned in the Seine include the triathlon mixed relay on Aug. 5 and the women’s and men’s marathon swimming events on Aug. 8 and Aug. 9. Despite efforts to improve water quality, keeping athletes safe remains a top priority for organizers and city officials.
