The swimming event of the three-part race in the City of Light was impacted by currents, rather than pollution. The sun-soaked Wednesday brought joy to officials as they declared the river’s water suitable for the race. Despite initial unrest, the crowds along the Champs Élysées cheered triumphantly.
On one end of the Concorde bridge, away from the designated areas for accredited Olympic Games media, organizers, and VIP members, Léo Bergère’s group faced pre-game nerves as best they could. Angelica Olmo, his fiancée and a former triathlete herself, sat alone gazing at the Paris sky. Meanwhile, his toddler nephew was cradled in the arms of another family member, scanning the river in search of his uncle. A friend managed to navigate through security and joined the group huddled next to the barrier, focused on a tablet, deciphering the progress of the race.
Léo’s father, filled with pride, remained stoic throughout. He wore the same t-shirt as the rest of the group, displaying the message “We love you.” His confidence mirrored that of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who had crossed the Arc de Triomphe, a monument he himself had commissioned in 1806. When asked about his expectations for his son, he didn’t hesitate to say “gold medal,” despite Léo’s disappointing performance in the Tokyo 2020 Games, where he finished 21st.
As the race progressed, crowds gathered around iconic locations such as the Champs Élysées, Place de La Concorde, and the Arc de Triomphe. This made it challenging for spectators arriving on foot or bicycle to move around. However, the excitement in the air overshadowed the initial disagreements between Paris authorities, organizers, World Triathlon, and certain members of the media who even called for an apology from the IOC on Tuesday.
Nevertheless, for the French attendees who basked in the sunny weather after a light drizzle earlier in the day, and cheered on Bergère and fellow countryman Pierre Le Corre as they constantly battled for third and fourth place, it all culminated in a magnificent mid-week spectacle. The controversy seemed somewhat exaggerated. Olivier Guillot, a relaxed 42-year-old fan who had come from Bordeaux with his wife and two children, reflected, “We should let the organizers do their thing, ‘laissez faire’ as we say in French. We are used to swimming everywhere in our country, so it’s not a big deal. And here, with such beautiful scenery, it’s truly magnificent.”
Much like the Opening Ceremony of Paris 2024 on Friday, there were expected nerves, chaos, and backlash before the curtains rose. However, in the end, the prevailing feeling was that this triathlon was a truly unique experience. It felt different, just like the slogan of Paris Saint Germain football club, ‘Ici c’est Paris’ (Here, it’s Paris), suggested.
Perhaps it was just pre-race jitters, but Spanish athlete Anna Godoy was the last one to emerge from the starting gates at 8:00 local time. “Those of us on the right couldn’t hear the horn, so those on the left had a head start,” explained the 17th ranked woman, echoing the sentiment shared by many of her fellow competitors. “The water was fine. We’ve faced much worse conditions before. The strong currents posed a challenge because we hadn’t been able to scout the river in the days leading up to the race. But I pushed through it, so I’m satisfied with my performance.”
Countryman Alberto Gonzalez secured an eighth-place finish, earning recognition with an Olympic diploma and receiving enthusiastic praise from his supporters. However, when assessing World Triathlon’s handling of the water situation, he expressed some criticism. “As athletes, we often feel vulnerable when decisions like these are made. We would appreciate it if the federations took our opinions into consideration and treated us as individuals. Thankfully, my family helped me relax after dinner the night before,” he explained. “I do agree that the water conditions were not terrible. As we say in Spain, ‘I have faced worse challenges.’ However, the currents in the Seine made it particularly challenging for me.”
Kate Waugh from Great Britain, who finished in 15th place, described the race as “intense and chaotic.” She mentioned being overwhelmed from the very beginning but felt inspired by the crowd’s support, which gave her goosebumps. She also referred to the day as “unforgettable.” Jolien Vermeylen from Belgium, who finished 24th, endured a bike crash but struggled during the footrace. She also mentioned other bodies of water, such as the Sunderland river and Hong Kong World Cup, that were even more challenging to swim in. She downplayed the possibility of changing the format to a biathlon, stating that it would have been devestating.
Many athletes and managers, such as Colombian coach José Bustamante, chose to wake up at 3:30 am to receive official confirmation that the event would proceed. However, the majority did not view it as a hindrance to their preparation. “Maintaining focus was a challenge, but once we read the statement from World Triathlon, we were ready to go. Pollution was not an issue at all. We’ve swum next to a factory in Sunderland, which was awful. The currents were strong here, but we were thrilled to swim in the Seine because of its historical significance with ancient tribes,” he emphasized. “It was a spectacular event, as grand as the Olympics and Paris itself.”
