With less than a year to go until the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games begin, four days of testing in the triathlon events kicked off in the heart of the city on Thursday.
About 65 female triathletes from all over the world completed in three events that included swimming, cycling and running. The athletes swam a distance of 1500 metres in the Seine River, cycled for 40 kilometres, before finishing with a 10-kilometre run on and around the Champs Elysees.
Great Britain’s Beth Potter won the event ahead of hometown favourite Cassandre Beaugrand, while Laura Lindemann of Germany completed the podium spots.
“It was pretty hard from the start,” the eventual winner Potter said. “I don’t think I had the best run, but I worked really hard in the first two laps of the bike and got myself in the main group.
“And then, yeah, I just knew I had to stick with Cassandra [Beaugrand] on the run, because she was going to be the one to beat. And I just wound up every lap, and yeah, had something left in the tank for the last sprint finish.”
Tony Estanguet, the President of the Paris 2024 organising committee, who was present at the event, applauded the athletes and thanked the individuals that make up the delegation for the event.
“It’s very fantastic enthusiasm for all the team of Paris 2024,” the 45-year-old three-time Olympic champion said. “If you look at the potential of this city to organise one of the best triathlons.
“I was on the podium with the ladies this morning and they told me: ‘It’s probably the best triathlon I ever competed in.’
“So for us, it’s the best demonstration that the work done so far is very positive, and we are on track to deliver a fantastic triathlon next year.”
Christophe Rosa, the deputy general of the Paris Olympic and Paralympic committee, revealed at the Paris City Hall on Wednesday that quality levels in the Seine are back to admissible standards after water tests.
The announcement provided positive news following the last-minute cancellation of a swimming event that had been scheduled to take place at the beginning of the month.
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the biggest sporting events ever held in France. The Olympic Games are scheduled to begin on Friday, July 26 and run until Sunday, August 11, while the Paralympic Games will take place over 12 days from August 28 to September 8, 2024.
