Fears over the Seine River’s water quality resurfaced at the Paralympic Games on Thursday, prompting organizers to reschedule the para-triathlon races.
Paris 2024 officials announced that all 11 medal events will now take place on Sept. 1, condensing the competition into a single day instead of the originally planned two.
“The decision to hold all medal events on one day was taken in view of the weather forecast and to provide athletes and coaches with as much certainty as possible. The course of the swim remains unchanged,” organizers said.
Water quality in the Seine River was also a major issue at the Olympics. Bacteria levels in the long-polluted Paris waterway fluctuate constantly depending on the weather. Heavy rains cause wastewater and runoff to flow into the river, causing bacteria levels to rise.
The organizers said the river’s water quality and flow will continue to be monitored each day, and decisions on preparatory swims for para-triathletes to train over the next couple of days, as well as on the morning of Sept. 1, will be made before each event.
Organizers said events can be pushed back to Sept. 2 and 3 “if needed.”
Thursday’s familiarization swims took place as planned in the morning.
