Organizers of the Paris Olympics have announced that the women’s and men’s triathlons will go ahead on Wednesday with swimming in the River Seine.
The men’s triathlon was originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday. But practice sessions and the race itself were postponed after heavy rains caused water quality in the river to become poor.
Early on Wednesday, the Paris 2024 organizing committee and World Triathlon released a statement saying the women’s and men’s competitions would go ahead later in the day, starting at 8 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. respectively.
They said the results of the latest water analyses have been assessed as compliant by World Triathlon allowing for the competitions to take place.
Swimming was banned in the Seine for many years due to deteriorated water quality and other factors. Stakeholders including the city of Paris made strenuous efforts to clean up the river ahead of the Games.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the river earlier in July to showcase its improved water quality.