Ultimately every race that was scheduled to take place in the Seine was completed. But it wasn't without a lot of questions and concerns.
PARIS -- As rain hammered down at the Olympic opening ceremony, Paris deputy mayor Pierre Rabadan stood soaking wet in the bleachers. For a brief moment, he felt a sense of worry.
As 10,500 of the world's best athletes floated down the river, around a month's worth of rain fell in just 36 hours. Rabadan knew the consequences -- for both competition and public opinion.to collect water samples, there were contingency plans to hold a duathlon instead. When marathon prep swim was canceled the following week, organizers were ready to activate a backup site.
Concerns about water quality are nothing new to the Olympics, or to open water athletes who compete across the world year-round, often near urban areas. These issues are prevalent everywhere, including North America. The 2016 Rio Olympics were marred by severe pollution -- both sewage and trash -- at several venues. Tokyo needed drastic measures to clean up its bay, though one athlete's viral quote saying it"smelled like a toilet" remains in infamy.
"If the priority was the health of the athletes this event would have been moved to another location a long time ago," Belgian triathlete Marten Van Riel commented on World Triathlon's Instagram post announcing the postponement of the men's race.However, many participants felt the worst-case scenarios got overblown, and many cited how spectacular it was to compete in such an iconic venue.
The controversy over the race meant it had more attention and media coverage than any triathlon race in history, with some inside the sport hoping it actually helps grow its audience.venue for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics is Alamitos Beach in Long Beach. Even though water quality issues remain in any urban area, the venue is far better positioned for success.
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