PARIS– Days before diving into the River Seine during the Paris Olympicstriathletes were hopeful Saturday that bacteria levels in the famous waterway would be safe enough to swim.
The swimming part of the triathlon and the swimming marathon are scheduled to take place in the river that runs through the heart of Paris. The men’s triathlon is scheduled for Tuesday, while the women’s triathlon is scheduled to compete on Wednesday and a mixed relay race will take place on August 5.
The quality of water in the French capital is closely linked to the climate and heavy rain during the Olympic opening ceremony Concerns resurfaced Friday about the river’s safety for swimming. The rains persisted on Saturday, but the forecast was for clear skies from Sunday.
The city has taken extraordinary measures and spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) to ensure that the long-polluted Seine is safe for swimmers, including building a huge reservoir to capture excess rainwater and prevent wastewater from flowing into the river. But bacteria levels still fluctuate.
Daily water quality tests measure levels of fecal bacteria known as E. coli. Tests by monitoring group Water of Paris showed levels were acceptable on Tuesday, the most current data posted online, but that was before the most recent rain.
The mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, put on a show of swimming in the river on July 17 to ease fears. But test results released Friday showed that the levels were actually above the safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters that day at Bras Marie. E. coli levels were then above the safe limit of 900 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters, determined by European rules.
American triathlete Taylor Spivey said at a press conference Saturday that she and her teammates are trying to take steps to protect themselves.
“We have all been increasing our absorption of probiotics, which I believe is the best way to ensure we have a strong gut and that we can resist any type of illness that may come our way,” she said.
Seth Rider, another American triathlete, noted that they participated in a test event on the river last year without incident.
“We actually raced here last year in the test event and I don’t think anyone got sick after the race, so that can’t be said for every race we do,” he said.
Spanish triathlete Antonio Serrat also felt calm after participating in last year’s race and hoped to repeat the experience: “I remember that last year was a very special swim and I hope to have the same feeling again”.
That test took place in mid-August, but earlier that month, an open water World Cup swimming event was canceled after heavy rain caused untreated waste to overflow into the Seine, leaving water quality below safety standards. .
USA Triathlon High Performance General Manager Scott Schnitzspahn applauded Paris’ efforts to clean up the river.
“All the work and money spent on developing a system to keep the Seine clean and our athletes safe on race day is truly monumental,” he said, adding that the team receives daily updates on water quality at 4am.
If conditions are unsafe on the day of the event, are there backup plans. Organizers said the races could be postponed for a few days. But if the levels cannot be reduced sufficiently, the swimming part would be dropped and triathletes would compete in a duathlon – just running and cycling.
“We will be ready no matter what,” Schnitzspahn said. “Triathletes are flexible and these things happen in our sport, and we will be ready to race no matter what.”
Spanish triathlete Alberto Gonzalez said he wants to compete in the full race for which he traveled to Paris, but he knows it is out of his control.
“I trust the (Olympic) organization,” he said. “I feel calm and ready for anything.”
Spivey was also hopeful that a third of his preparation would not be in vain: “I hope we can swim, bike and run because I don’t swim that much to just run and bike.”
___
This story originally appeared on ABCNews.go.com read the full story
