Para-Triathlon Races Delayed at Paris 2024 Due to River Water Issues

Para-triathlon events at Paris 2024 are postponed to September 2 due to poor water quality in the River Seine.

The Paris 2024 Paralympics hit a bump in the road this weekend. The para-triathlon races, which were supposed to happen on September 1, have been delayed by one day. This is because the River Seine’s water is not clean enough for swimming.

Rain Makes the River Dirty

Paris has had a lot of rain lately, and it made the Seine's water dirty. World Triathlon said that tests taken on the morning of September 1 showed the water was not safe. So, the races will now take place on September 2, but only if the water gets cleaner.

This is not the first time there’s been a problem with the Seine’s water. Earlier this year, during the Olympics, a race had to be postponed because of the same issue. 

A big cleanup project costing $1.5 billion was supposed to make the river clean, but it still has problems.

The para-triathlon was originally planned for two days, September 1 and 2. But because of bad weather, all the events were moved to September 1. Now, since the rain made the water worse, the races are pushed to the next day.

Athletes and New Schedule

Great Britain has 11 athletes who were ready to compete. This includes Lauren Steadman, who is the current Paralympic champion, and Dave Ellis, who wants to win his first Paralympic gold. 

The delay affects these athletes and others in seven different events.

All 11 para-triathlon races are now set to happen on September 2. But this depends on the water quality getting better. If it doesn’t, there might be more changes or delays.

Paris 2024 organizers and World Triathlon are working hard to fix the problem. They want to make sure the athletes can compete in safe conditions. They will update ticket holders with more information soon.

Everyone is hoping that the delay will give the Seine’s water time to improve. This way, the para-triathlon races can happen smoothly on September 2.