(5 Aug 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Paris – 5 August 2024
1. Wide of boat with tourists on Seine river
2. Boat with tourists on Seine river
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Kate Brumback, The Associated Press:
“The Olympic triathlon mixed relay event featuring teams of two men and two women went forward as planned with swims in the Seine River. Elevated levels of bacteria in the water had caused uncertainty over whether swimming in the Seine would even be possible. But organizers said ahead of Monday’s race that the water quality was acceptable.”
4. People seated on riverbank
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Kate Brumback, The Associated Press:
“Bacteria levels in the water fluctuate constantly and daily samples are drawn for testing. Organizers said they consider water quality analysis, sanitary inspections and the weather forecast before deciding whether a race will go forward.
6. Close up water
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Kate Brumback, The Associated Press
“Most strains of E. coli are harmless but some cause gastrointestinal illnesses. Ahead of the Paris Olympics, the city invested 1.4 billion Euros in infrastructure improvements to ensure that both the triathlon and marathon swimming events would be able to be held in the river.”
8. Seine River filmed from under a bridge
9. Seagull
10. Seagull and Seine River
STORYLINE:
Olympic triathletes plunged into the Seine River Monday morning as the mixed relay event got underway after organizers said the bacteria levels in the long-polluted Paris waterway were at acceptable levels.
The plan to hold the swimming portion of the triathlons and the marathon swimming events in the Seine was an ambitious one.
Swimming in the river has, with some exceptions, been off-limits since 1923 because it has been too toxic.
Representatives from World Triathlon and the International Olympic Committee along with Paris Games organizers and regional and weather authorities met Sunday night to review water tests.
The results indicated the water quality at the triathlon site had improved over the preceding hours and would be within the limits mandated by World Triathlon by Monday morning, they said in a statement.
In a very close sprint finish, the team from Germany won the gold medal, with the United States taking silver and Britain clinching bronze.
The decision to allow the event to go forward with swims in the Seine came after Belgium’s Olympic committee announced Sunday that it would withdraw its team from the mixed relay triathlon after one of its competitors who swam in the river last week fell ill.
It was not clear whether her illness had anything to do with her swim in the Seine.
Paris spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) on infrastructure improvements to clean up the river that flows through its center.
That included the construction of a giant basin to capture excess rainwater and keep wastewater from flowing into the river, renovating sewer infrastructure and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.
Heavy rains that have fallen off and on during the Games have caused headaches for organizers as they result in elevated levels of fecal bacteria, including E. coli and enterococci, flowing into the river.
Drenching rains fell Thursday night, but conditions had otherwise been dry except for light rain Saturday evening.
The sun shone brightly as the race unfolded Monday and athletes said organizers reassured them that there were no concerns with water quality.
Elevated bacteria levels in the waterway have caused cancellations of the swimming portion of training sessions for the relay event.
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