Paris mayor swims River Seine ahead of Olympics
Paris Mayor, Anne Hidalgo, took a symbolic swim in the River Seine on Wednesday to demonstrate its improved water quality ahead of the upcoming Olympics.
Taking a dip, part of efforts to ensure the river is safe for athletes, highlights the city’s commitment to cleaning the iconic waterway, which will host swimming events during the Games, which get underway from July 26 until August 11.
The 65-year-old, donning her goggle and wetsuit, gracefully swam breaststroke under the bright summer sun. She then immersed her face in the Seine and switched to a front crawl, covering approximately 100 metres downstream.
“It’s wonderful, very, very pleasant,” Hidalgo told reporters. “It’s fresh but not cold.” Joining her were senior local officials and Tony Estanguet, the chief organiser of the Paris Games and a gold medal-winning canoeist.
Estanguet has been diligently overseeing the Seine’s cleanliness in preparation for the Paris Games, set to begin next week. “Today is a confirmation that we are exactly where we meant to be,” Estanguet said. “We are now ready to organise the Games in the Seine.”
The Olympic triathlon’s swimming segment will take place in the Seine on July 30-31 and August 5, with open-water swimming following on August 8-9. Despite a €1.4 billion ($1.5 bn) investment to stop sewage leaks, the river had consistently failed water quality tests until earlier this month.
Wednesday’s swim, witnessed by over 150 journalists, aimed to prove the river’s readiness and highlight one of Paris 2024’s key legacy goals. Mayor Hidalgo plans to open three public bathing areas in the Seine next year, a century after swimming was banned. Additionally, the waterway is seeing a resurgence of fish and other wildlife.-Insidethegames
