PARIS MAYOR SWIMS IN SEINE AS PROOF IT’S READY

The French capital’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, has kept her promise to prove that the River Seine is ready to host the triathlon events.

The famous Parisian river has been in the spotlight after it had to undergo a vigorous cleaning exercise. For hundreds of years, it’s been illegal to swim the Seine. Those who did were fined.

Now, the city of Paris has managed to clean up the river so that it’s ready to host the triathlon events during the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

When asked what he thought of the swim of the event, Hidalgo said: “It’s a dream day… And the sun is out.”

The mayor swam 100 metres down the river in water measured at 20C.

“It’s sweet and wonderful and the result of a lot of work.”

She confirmed that the water is ready for the athletes to compete in.

Tony Estanguet, the president of the Paris 2024 organising committee, confirmed the river’s readiness.

“Today we have confirmation that the Seine is swimmable and that the triathlon and marathon swimming competitions can take place in it.”

Image credit: Reuters