Men's triathlon postponed due to high levels of pollution in river Seine in Paris

Paris Olympics 2024: The men's triathlon event was postponed due to high levels of pollution in the river Seine. The event was scheduled to take place on July 30, Tuesday but will take place the next day if the water pollution levels improve.

In Short

• Men's triathlon event postponed at the Paris Olympics 2024
• The event is potponed due to high levels of pollution in Seine river
• The event will take place on July 31 if the pollution levels improve

The Men's Triathlon event, which was initially planned to take place on July 30, Tuesday was postponed due to high levels of pollution in the river Seine in Paris. The race has now been moved to July 31, Wednesday at 10:45 pm, after the women's event scheduled for the same day at 8:00 am. The World Triathlon informed in a statement, dealing a blow to the organisers and leaving the athletes with more uncertainty. Earlier, the Olympic Games organisers had said that they were confident of the water quality improving in time for the race. They assured after the river was dirtied by the heavy rains last Friday and Saturday.

"Despite the improvement of water quality levels over the last hours, the readings at some points of the swim course are still above the acceptable limits," they said early on Tuesday. "Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that their priority is the health of the athletes." If the levels of bacteria remain too high on Wednesday as well, then both the men's and women's races could likely be postponed to Friday, the contingency day reserved for the events.

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What if the pollution levels don't reduce?

If, by Friday as well, the water quality does not improve and is still not good enough, then the swimming leg will be scrapped, and the athletes will compete in duathlon instead. For the mixed triathlon relay event on August 5, the contingency day is August 6.

The Paris authorities have promised to make the river Seine swimmable as a key legacy of the Olympic Games. They had spent 1.51 billion dollars on wastewater infrastructure to contain sewage and minimise spillage into the waterway.

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo herself took a dip in the river earlier this month, in order to convince doubters. The gamble that the river would be clean enough on the day of the triathlon was not guaranteed, as the water quality varied widely day-to-day.

Seine river's pollution

Seth Rider, one of 55 triathletes who entered the men's race, has told reporters he took unconventional measures to prepare for exposure to bacteria.

"We know that there's going to be some E. coli exposure, so I just try to increase my E. coli threshold by exposing myself to a bit of E. coli in your day-to-day life," the U.S. athlete said in a press conference on Saturday.

The Olympic triathlon course was conceived to maximise the wow factor, with the river swimming a key element.