Paris Olympics: triathlon races to go ahead officials say, as river pollution levels drop
- In a brief Facebook post, World Triathlon publishes a picture of the River Seine with a simple message ‘we will swim’
The delayed Olympic triathlon races will go ahead on Wednesday, with officials saying concerns over the pollution in the River Seine had gone away.
In a brief Facebook post, World Triathlon simply said, “We will swim” with a picture of the river.
Athletes had been unable to take part in any swim training for the past few days because water quality levels were deemed to be unfit, and the men’s race was delayed 24 hours because rain in Paris had caused the city’s water system to be effected.
The decision came as a relief for the 110 athletes expecting to compete on Wednesday, and for Paris authorities who have promised residents a swimmable Seine as a long-term legacy of the Games, with the triathlon a very public test.
“The results of the latest water analyses, received at 3.20am, have been assessed as compliant by World Triathlon allowing for the triathlon competitions to take place,” Paris 2024 and World Triathlon said in a statement.
