Olympic triathlon goes ahead after officials give the green light over Seine water quality

The triathlon competitions are going ahead in Paris after concerns over water quality in the River Seine caused the men’s race to be postponed. The women’s race saw bike crashes on the wet streets, with several athletes slipping and falling. France’s Cassandre Beaugrand won the women’s triathlon Olympic champion title. Heavy rains raised concerns about water quality but organizers were confident the race would proceed as planned. Swimming in the Seine has been illegal for a century, but organizers cleaned up the river for use during Paris 2024. The city of Paris has invested in infrastructure to tackle pollution, including a rainwater storage basin. However, E. coli levels in the river have at times exceeded acceptable limits, which could lead to the cancellation of the swimming leg of the triathlon. The individual triathlon races include a 1.5-kilometer swim, 40K bike race, and 10K run, while the mixed team relay race involves a shorter distance for each team member.