Amid concerns about dirty water and strong current, marathon swimmers dive into the Seine River

August 7, 2024

A bridge lined with ornate statues overlooks an Olympic open water course like no other. The Eiffel Tower, gold-domed Invalides and other Paris landmarks provide a stunning backdrop. Yet there was no getting around concerns about the safety of swimming in the long-polluted Seine River, not to mention contending with its strong current.

A hearty group of endurance swimmers dove into the waterway on a cloudy, cool morning Wednesday, their one and only chance to check out the river before they start handing out gold medals.

The training session received the go-ahead around 4 a.m., when World Aquatics got the results of daily testing that showed the water was within acceptable guidelines for illness-causing bacteria — one day after another test run was canceled because of less-favorable readings. AP