There are fresh fears that the triathlon events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games could yet be downgraded to duathlons because of water quality in the River Seine.
Despite a huge clean-up operation in the Parisian waterway, costing a reported €1.4bn (£1.18bn), some of the races at last year’s Olympic and Paralympic Test events were reduced to duathlon status due to sub-standard water quality.
Fast forward 11 months, and those concerns are still very much alive, with the first of two planned triathlon familiarisation/training swims planned for Sunday being cancelled with the levels still not up to scratch.
A statement released early on Sunday revealed: “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, DRIEAT, the City of Paris and the Prefecture of the Île-de-France Region involved in carrying out water quality tests, a joint decision was taken to cancel the swim leg of the triathlon familiarisation which was due to be held on 28 July at 8am. The running and bike familiarisations will go ahead as planned.
“Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterates 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.”
Organisers remain hopeful that swims will be able to take place as planned this week, with improved weather expected in the French capital (latest Paris weather forecast updates are here).
“Given the weather forecast for the next 48 hours, Paris 2024 and World Triathlon are confident that water quality will return to below limits before the start for of the triathlon competitions. As observed in July, with summer conditions (more sunshine, higher temperatures, prolonged absence of rain) water quality in the Seine has improved significantly.”
Triathlon dates and contingency plans
As it stands, there are three triathlon events planned for Paris 2024, starting with the men’s individual race on Tuesday (July 30). Then we have the women taking centre stage on Wednesday (July 31) before the Mixed Relay on Monday August 5.
There are reserve days in place for all events (Friday August 2 for both individual races and Tuesday August 6 for Mixed Relay) – but were the quality on those days to be sub-standard again, races would be downgraded to duathlon. A decision on whether swims can take place is set to be taken at 0400 local time on each scheduled race day.
So what is a duathlon?
Should races be downgraded with no swim, they would take place as duathlons. This would mean the swim being replaced with a second run (so run/bike/run rather than swim/bike/run).
Triathlon icon Mark Allen has been vocal about the situation that the sport finds itself in just days out from the biggest dance of all.
Writing in a recent column on TRI247 he summed it up by saying: “Think of it this way. What other sport in the Olympics would tolerate the entire format of it being changed at 3:00am the day of competition? None. Downhill skiing would never make a competitor add in a slalom to contest for the downhill gold because on the day of competition the course was icy!”
