The men’s Olympic Games triathlon at Paris 2024 is scheduled to start early on Tuesday, but it remains shrouded in uncertainty after another training swim was cancelled today (Monday July 29) due to sub-standard water quality in the River Seine.
The first planned familiarisation swim scheduled for Sunday had been cancelled yesterday with the €1.18bn cleanup operation still so far failing to deliver a safe waterway for athletes to compete in. This came after heavy rains on Friday and Saturday in the French capital.
Early on Monday authorities announced that the second familiarisation swim would also be cancelled, with water quality still too low to allow athletes to enter safely.
Anxious wait for Paris 2024
Now organisers and athletes face an anxious wait until around 0400 local time Tuesday, when a decision will be taken on whether the water is safe enough to allow the race to go ahead as planned.
If water quality is not good enough on Tuesday, the race will be moved to Friday (August 2). If it is still sub-standard then, the race will be downgraded to a duathlon format. The scenario absolutely nobody wants.
There are some positive signs though – organisers are still pinning their hopes for Tuesday on the improved weather forecast for the coming days, as they look to navigate the trickiest of waters.
Seine water quality latest
A statement released early on Monday said: “Following a meeting on water quality held this morning attended by Paris 2024, representatives of World Triathlon and their Technical and Medical Delegates, Météo France, the City of Paris and the Prefecture of the Île-de-France Region involved in carrying out water quality tests, World Triathlon took the decision to cancel the swim leg of the triathlon familiarisation (athlete training) which was due to be held on 29 July at 8am. The running and bike familiarisations will go ahead as planned.
“Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that the priority is the health of the athletes. The tests carried out in the Seine yesterday revealed water quality levels that in the view of the international federation, World Triathlon, did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held. This is due to rain that has fallen on Paris on 26 and 27 July.
“Given the weather forecast for the next 36 hours, Paris 2024 and World Triathlon are confident that water quality will return to below limits before the start for of the triathlon competitions on 30 July. As observed in July, with summer conditions (more sunshine, higher temperatures, prolonged absence of rain) water quality in the Seine has improved significantly.”
When does the race start?
The action is due to get under way at 0800 local time on Tuesday July 30. That is 0700 in the UK, 0200 Eastern Time in the United States and 2300 PST Monday on the West Coast.
The full men’s start list is now complete and you can check it out in full here – along with those all-important bib numbers.
