Paralympics, the Seine strikes again: triathlon races

Here we go again. After the Olympics, the 2024 Paris Paralympics also have to deal with the quality of the Seine’s waterTriathlon events scheduled for today have been postponed due to new concerns about the water quality of the Seine.

Eleven events were scheduled to begin with a swim in the river Sunday morning, but organizers said they were delayed because of a decline in water quality following rains the previous two days. The events have been rescheduled for Monday if tests show improved water quality.

A statement from World Triathlon confirmed the postponement after a meeting with Paris 2024 representatives and French authorities at 3:30 a.m. Sunday. “The latest tests show a decrease in the quality of the water in the river following the rainy episodes of the last two days,” the statement read. It is now awaiting new analysis: “Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that their priority is the health of the athletes and, under these conditions, the Paratriathlon events cannot take place today.” The triathlon events were originally scheduled for Sunday and Monday, but were rescheduled across the day due to rain forecasts.

The men’s triathlon at last month’s Olympic Games was postponed by 24 hours due to concerns about water quality, which also led to the cancellation of swimming training sessions and affected the long-distance swimming trials.