The familiarisation session for the Paris Olympics marathon swimming event in the Seine river will go ahead as planned on Wednesday. This comes after water quality tests met the required thresholds, giving the green light for the event to proceed.
A similar session scheduled for Tuesday was cancelled due to concerns over water pollution in the river. This sparked concerns about the safety and feasibility of holding the marathon swimming events in the Seine.
However, after a meeting early Wednesday morning involving representatives from World Aquatics, the Paris Games organizers, and other stakeholders, the decision was made to move forward with the familiarisation session.
“The results … reviewed during the meeting at 4 a.m. have been assessed as compliant by World Aquatics, allowing for the familiarisation session for the marathon swimming to take place,” World Aquatics stated in a press release.
The familiarisation session is set to take place from 7:30 am to 9:30 am on Wednesday. The women’s and men’s marathon swim races are scheduled for Thursday and Friday, respectively.
French authorities have poured significant resources into upgrading the city’s sewage systems, investing 1.4 billion euros ($1.53 billion) to ensure the river is clean enough for swimming by next summer.
Despite these efforts, water quality issues presented a challenge for organizers during the triathlon events, resulting in the cancellation of familiarisation sessions and a 24-hour postponement of the men’s race.
The success of the upcoming marathon swimming events will depend heavily on continued improvements in water quality and the ability of organizers to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for athletes and spectators alike.
