Sports
Seine’s Water Quality Issues Lead to Cancellation of Triathlon Practice Swim
The scheduled swim familiarisation for the mixed team triathlon at the Paris 2024 Olympics was cancelled for the second consecutive day due to subpar water quality in the River Seine. Heavy rain late last week contributed to the deterioration in water conditions, prompting Olympic organizers to call off the session originally planned for 07:00 BST on Sunday.
Despite hopes for improved conditions by Sunday morning, the water quality did not meet the required standard for the practice swim. This development follows the postponement of the men’s triathlon, which has been rescheduled for Wednesday, due to similar water quality issues caused by the weekend’s heavy rain.
The rainfall has led to increased levels of E. coli and other bacteria in the Seine. However, hot weather is expected to help reduce the bacteria count, with temperatures in Paris forecast to reach 25°C later on Sunday. Organizers remain hopeful that conditions will improve in time for the upcoming events.