A day after cancelling a Seine training session because of deteriorating water quality, about half of the expected field for the open water swimming events at the Olympics were in the water on Wednesday morning to familiarize themselves with the course in France’s most famous river.
Several swimmers, including Ireland’s Daniel Wiffen, were seen swimming in the river on Wednesday morning. Tuesday’s “familiarization session” was canceled when water quality measurements were worse than they had been on previous days.
33 men and 24 women were confirmed for the open water swim pre-meet, but at least one of those have pulled out: American David Johnston, who contracted a symptomatic case of COVID-19 during the pool swimming portion of the meet and finished 18th in the 1500 free.
Race officials and World Aquatics did not immediately respond to a request for the latest testing results.
Photos and Videos of Swimmers Training in the Seine
Daniel Wiffen is in the bright green “Ireland” cap.
Open water swimming has a backup venue at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, home to the Olympic sailing events. That may factor in to the ultimate go/no-go decision, as compared to triathlon, which didn’t have a backup plan for the swim portion.
The uncertainty comes after France spent $1.5 billion to try and clean up the river, both for the Olympics and to make the Seine swimmable for citizens and tourists.
Triathlon completed its three events, the men’s individual, women’s individual, and mixed relay races, already, swimming in the Seine for each. One country, Belgium, had to scratch the relay event after one of its athletes was hospitalized with an E. coli infection.
“The COIB and Belgian Triathlon hope that lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games such as guaranteeing training days, competition days and the competition format, which must be clarified in advance and ensure that there is no uncertainty for the athletes and support personnel,” the Belgian Olympic Committee said in a statement.
At least three other triathletes have turned up sick as well. Switzerland had to replace Adrien Briffod after he turned up with a “gastrointestinal infection,” though the Swiss Olympic Chief Medical Officer Hanspeter Betschart said he could not verify that it was related to the river.
Now New Zealand’s men’s triathlon silver medalist Hayden Wilde and one other unnamed triathlete are being reported as having E. coli infections after the conclusion of the relay. Both participated in the relay, though a crash in by Wilde left them 14th.
In a statement, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games organizers said that the water quality in the Seine measured at a “very good” level on the morning of the individual triathlons.
“Paris 2024 wishes to remind everyone that the health and wellbeing of athletes is our top priority. With respect to competitions held in the Seine, water quality tests are carried out daily, and the decision on whether to proceed with an event is taken by the International Federation World Triathlon, in coordination with Paris 2024, and based on the results and a range of (notably health) criteria,” the statement read.
