A trial practice session intended for Olympic athletes to get accustomed to the marathon swimming route in the Seine River was called off on Tuesday due to concerns regarding water quality in the Parisian waterway. Paris 2024 representative Anne Descamps validated that the cancellation of the exercise was decided by World Aquatics.
The decision to cancel the practice session follows a recent triathlon mixed relay event conducted in the river flowing through the heart of Paris. It is noted that the segment of the Seine where the triathletes performed their swim is considerably shorter than the stretch designated for the marathon swimming event, taking place on Thursday and Friday.
World Triathlon released data on Tuesday indicating that during the triathletes’ swim on Monday, the presence of fecal bacteria E. coli and enterococci in the water was within acceptable levels.
