Seine Opens up to Olympic Swimmers for Paris 2024 Tests
With less than one year to go until the Paris 2024 Olympics, the first test races in the iconic Seine river have officially begun. The city has been hard at work cleaning the river of pollution ahead of the Games next year when athletes will dive in near the Alexandre III bridge for swimming events and triathlon and paratriathlon events.
From Aug. 17–20, Paris Olympic organizers are hosting a series of test races to ensure the river is ready for primetime on the world sports stage. It comes after a €1.4 billion ($1.5 million) effort by state and local authorities to clean up the river and improve water management systems ahead of the 2024 Games.
The event was planned to take place earlier this month but was canceled due to poor water quality. In the end, British swimmer Beth Potter won the women's race. "She thus becomes the first athlete to win a sporting competition after swimming in the Seine since 2012," the organizers said in a statement, according the Associated Press.
“What a special place to be in,” American triathlete and Olympic hopeful Katie Zaferes told the AP. "It was a good way to hopefully be here next year and get a preview of the course."
French triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand came in second and was glad to see athletes from all over the world enjoying the capital of her home country. "It’s a magnificent event," she said. "Everyone is so happy to compete here." When asked about the water quality of the Seine, she remarked, "We are used to [swimming] in much worse waters."
The 18th-century Alexandre III bridge will serve as the backdrop for the swimming portion of the triathlon event scheduled to take place through the weekend. The bike and run segments of the triathlon will take racers through some of Paris' most well-known neighborhoods and down the Champs-Élysées. Spectators can watch the event for free.
"I was on the podium with the ladies this morning and they told me it’s probably the best triathlon they ever competed in," Paris organizing committee president Tony Estanguet said of the first event. "For us, it’s the best demonstration that the work done so far is very positive and we are on track to deliver a fantastic triathlon next year."
More work is still underway ahead of next year's Games, including a giant underground reservoir that will hold excess stormwater to avoid spilling untreated into the river. If you're interested in swimming in the Seine yourself, you can hop in when it opens to the public in 2025.