Paralympic paratriathlon postponed due to water quality
All 11 events have been delayed until Monday after early morning tests showed condition of the Seine was unfit for swimming
In a case of deja vu from the Olympic Games, the Paralympic paratriathlon races have been delayed for 24hr due to poor water quality.
Tests conducted in the early hours ahead of today’s racing showed that levels of bacteria in the Seine, the river than runs through the heart of Paris, were too high to allow the athletes to compete safely.
Organisers hope that the river pollution will have subsided sufficiently to allow all 11 paratri events, from the wheelchair, standing and visually impaired categories, to take place tomorrow [Monday] following the same time schedule, with the first race planned for 8.15am.
If the water quality is still too poor to proceed with a swim, the programme will roll on to Tuesday. This is the final planned day of competition, and a further cancelled swim would see the races revert to a duathlon, mirroring last summer’s test event.
It’s understood that to try and give as much certainty as possible, the athletes and coaches will be updated this evening following further water tests and told the races will either go ahead, be postponed again, or – if the results are in the balance – may again have to wait for results from tests at 3.30am tomorrow.
The original programme had already been changed due to an uncertain weather forecast to bring all 11 paratriathlons together on the same day. Initially, the races were split over two days of competition.
The latest development mirrors the situation of the Olympic triathlon where the men’s event was delayed for a day, resulting in both triathlons being raced back-to-back.
A statement from World Triathlon read as follows:
Following a meeting held on 1 September at 3:30 am attended by representatives of World Triathlon, Paris 2024 and the relevant French authorities involved in monitoring the conditions of the Seine and the weather, the decision has been taken to postpone the Para triathlon competitions which were due to be held on 1 September.
The latest tests show a decrease in water quality in the river following the rain episodes over the last two days. As a result, the water quality at the competition venue on Sunday 1 September is not suitable for swimming and above the threshold established by World Triathlon. It has been decided to schedule all 11 Para triathlon medal events on 2 September. This is subject to the forthcoming water tests complying with the established World Triathlon thresholds for swimming.
Paris 2024 and World Triathlon reiterate that their priority is the health of the athletes and with these conditions, the Para triathlon events cannot take place today.
Information regarding ticketing will be communicated to ticket holders in the coming hours.
Top image: World Triathlon / @by_wout
Tim Heming
Freelance triathlon journalist 
