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.
- What you need to know about E. coli in the Seine River
- Assessing the presence of E. coli in the Seine River for the Olympic Triathlon
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.
I know I’m going to get a bunch of downvotes for this, because I always get a bunch of downvotes when I say stuff like this, but this is not the first Olympics people complained about open water swimming.
In Beijing, people complained about water quality. In London, people complained the water was too stagnant and cold in the pond they swam in. In Rio, people complained about jellyfish, pollution, and waves. In Tokyo, people complained about currents, waves, and pollution. In Paris, people complained about pollution and water quality. In LA, they are swimming at Long Beach. People will complain about water quality, current, and waves. In Brisbane, people will complain about jellyfish, waves, and current.
I remember an… Read more »
How much water does a typical open water swimmer ingest in a 10k race? I hope they all stay healthy. The “acceptable” e coli levels for the Olympics is 5x the accepted level in my state (above 200 closes the beach).
Take your amoxicillin!
I think it would be fitting if the head of Frances Olympic committee would attend the venue and drink down a large glass of the water from this sewer in front of witnesses.It would go a long way in helping us believe their rhetoric about how the health of the athletes is their number 1 priority.As a matter of fact bring their whole family down for a large glass…yum yum yum
Do we know why David Johnston pulled out of the swim? COVID related?
I don’t have a quote from him saying it was because of COVID, but given that we know he tested positive, and given what we know about his performance in the 1500…I think it’s safe to assume it’s COVID related.
Why the athletes aren’t all banding together to demand a venue change is beyond me…
There were complaints about the venue in Beijing. There were complaints about the venue in London. There were complaints about the venue in Rio. There were complaints about the venue in Tokyo. There are complaints about the venue in Paris. There will be complaints about the venue in LA. There will be complaints about the venue in Brisbane.
It’s disgusting the Olympic and Paris officials are pushing for the triathletes to swim in an open sewer, excuse me, I mean the Seine, out of some sense of French pride or worse hubris! Who’s going to compensate those athletes for years of training, preparation and Olympic dreams? Then, only to be subjected to possible illness or worse, to fulfill a mis-guided notion that swimming in that river was a good idea to begin with or even possible. What a bunch of arrogant snobs!
There were concerns and complaints about the same in Rio. They also had jellyfish. There were concerns and complaints about the same in Tokyo. They also had waves. London had complaints for being too cold and murky with water plants because they were in a pond. Beijing had similar complaints as Tokyo. LA will have complaints since it is in Long Beach. Long Beach is not going to be pristine and you will have waves. Brisbane will have waves and jellyfish. No open water venue is perfect. If they were in the rowing pond, people complain about the water plants that are all over (I’ve been watching rowing and all those boats are picking up water plants each race). If… Read more »
It’s one thing to run into a plant or get chilled because the water is too cold and a whole different level than getting sick from e coli, and ending up seriously ill. IMHO
The complaints in Beijing were over unknown pollution in the water due to China’s lax laws on stuff being dumped in the water. The complaints in Rio were over pollution in the water due to garbage and sewage, plus jellyfish. The complaints in Tokyo were over pollution in the water due to sewage overflow, the proximity to the industrial zone, and industrial runoff. I’m guessing that when the event is held in Long Beach in 2028, people will complain about pollution in the water due to the proximity to the industrial zone and the port.
My point is that every Olympics the marathon swim has been in has had complaints due to something. Most of the time it was due… Read more »
https://www-nbclosangeles-com.cdn.ampproject.org/v/s/www.nbclosangeles.com/paris-2024-summer-olympics/german-olympic-swimmers-fall-ill-seine-river-open-water-race/3485142/?amp=1&_gsa=1&_js_v=a9&usqp=mq331AQGsAEggAID#amp_tf=From%20%251%24s&aoh=17233779286711&csi=0&referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.google.com&share=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nbclosangeles.com%2Fparis-2024-summer-olympics%2Fgerman-olympic-swimmers-fall-ill-seine-river-open-water-race%2F3485142%2F
This event is going to be a sh**show
Fantastic choice of words
So was Rio. So was Beijing. So was Tokyo. All had concerns with pollution. LA is going to be in Long Beach, near their port. You can’t tell me that venue is free from pollution. Brisbane will have an ocean where you have more wildlife and waves.