Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water… triathlon in doubt again

The final triathlon event at Paris 2024 is facing more uncertainty after independent analysis suggested e-coli readings on the Seine are high again.

Swimming for the planned familiarization sessions for the mixed relay has already been canceled on the Saturday following official tests.

Organizers have the option of moving Monday’s scheduled race to Tuesday if levels prove too high over the next 36 hours. Prior to now, Paris 2024 had been optimistic the event would go ahead on Monday. On Saturday morning, Thomas Bach, the IOC president, had boasted that the event on the river was “Seinesational.”

In good news for Team GB, however, Great Britain’s Alex Yee and Beth Potter have experienced no ill effects after taking gold and bronze respectively in the individual events. The men’s race had been postponed for 24 hours on Tuesday after heavy rainfall over the weekend contributed to increased pollution in the river. Since then, there have been several short outbreaks of rain in heatwave-hit Paris – including one thunderstorm on Thursday night.

Paris 2024 confirmed it canceled Saturday’s swim familiarization “at the daily meeting to review water quality” on Friday evening. “Given the heavy rain over recent days, which have been particularly intense upstream of the Paris basin, and the expected drop in water quality as a result, it has been decided, by anticipation, to cancel the familiarization swim on Saturday, 03 August, ” organizers said.

Organizers have yet to update the situation but Tim Heming, a specialist triathlon writer, cited Fluidion Open Data Initiative tests which showed “water quality in the Seine has worsened over the past two days, with e-coli readings far above World Triathlon’s acceptable limits for “swimming.” The Fluidion tests are independent of the ones used by Paris 2024 in its decision making.

There are reports that one non-British athlete has already been replaced in the mixed team relay after falling ill. The open water marathon swims are scheduled for August 9. Cassandre Beaugrand won a home gold for France in the women’s individual event on Wednesday before a dramatic comeback saw Yee snatch gold in the men’s event.

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