Canadian triathlete Tyler Mislawchuk experienced a violent bout of vomiting shortly after crossing the finish line at the Paris Olympics. Mislawchuk, who finished ninth, was caught on camera retching moments after completing the grueling triathlon, which involved a 1.5-km swim, a 40km bike ride, and a 10km run. The footage also showed several other athletes on the ground, struggling to regain their breath.
In the men’s race, Alex Yee secured a dramatic victory for Team GB, marking their fifth gold medal of the Games. Yee closed a 15-second gap on New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde, surpassing the silver medal performance he achieved in Tokyo three years prior.
In the women’s triathlon, Beth Potter won bronze for Team GB, while Cassandre Beaugrand took the top spot for France after a strong finish among a leading group of four.
The lead-up to the triathlon was marred by concerns over the River Seine’s water quality, which had been negatively impacted by heavy rainfall in Paris over the weekend. Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the men’s race was postponed until the water quality was confirmed to be safe for swimming.
Until June, E. coli levels in the Seine were ten times higher than the acceptable limit for sports events. However, recent tests confirmed the bacteria levels were now within safe limits.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo recently swam in the river to showcase the clean-up progress, stating, “It’s sweet and wonderful and the result of a lot of work. I remember in 2015 when we began our campaign for the Games, the international triathlon federation questioned if a triathlon could be held in the Seine. Today, we can confidently say it is possible.”
Swimming in the River Seine had been largely prohibited for over a century due to pollution and health risks. French authorities have invested around £1.2 billion to improve water quality in preparation for the Olympics.
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