July 30, (THEWILL) – The men’s triathlon at the Paris Olympics, originally scheduled for Tuesday, has been postponed due to high pollution levels in the Seine River. World Triathlon announced the decision, rescheduling the event to Wednesday, following the women’s race.
This setback challenges organisers, who had previously expressed confidence in the river’s water quality improving in time for the competition. The delay creates uncertainty for the 55 athletes, who were prepared to compete on Tuesday.
World Triathlon plans to meet with coaches on Tuesday morning, to provide updated information and schedules. If bacteria levels remain excessive by Wednesday morning, both men’s and women’s races might be further postponed to Friday, the designated contingency day.
For the mixed triathlon relay event on 5 August 5, the backup date is August 6. Paris authorities have invested 1.4 Billion euros in wastewater infrastructure to improve the Seine’s water quality, aiming to make the river swimmable as a key Olympic legacy.
However, recent heavy rainfall has increased concentrations of bacteria like E. coli and enterococci, complicating these efforts.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
