Paris 2024 Olympics - Triathlon - Men's Individual - Alexander III Bridge, Paris, France - July 30, 2024. General view of the Eiffel Tower...on Wednesday after the latest Seine river water tests showed lower levels of bacteria, ending days of uncertainty over whether the central Paris swim was viable after heavy rains.
News that the races would go ahead on Wednesday came as a relief for teams and athletes, as well as 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. Fifty-five women representing 34 countries will kick off the contest at 8 am , with France’s Cassandre Beaugrand and Britain’s Beth Potter, two of the top contenders for gold, set to dive into the river side by side.“The results of the latest water analyses, received at 3.20 am, 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.
The decision to postpone the men’s race at the last minute on Tuesday had triggered anger among some athletes.