Triathlete after competition in the Seine in hospital
When the Mixed Teams in the Triathlon start in Paris, Claire Michel won't be there: Because the Belgian athlete swam in the Seine in her individual competition and then had to be hospitalized, her team harshly criticizes the organization and withdraws completely from the race.
Due to the illness of athlete Claire Michel, Belgium's National Olympic Committee (BOIC) has withdrawn its Triathlon team from the Mixed Relay event scheduled for the morning (8am). Michel participated in the individual event on Wednesday, swimming in the Seine. On Sunday, she was taken to the polyclinic in the Olympic Village and is now back in her room in the Athletes' Village, according to the BOIC.
The Belgian NOC did not comment on medical details but criticized the organization of the Triathlon events so far at the Paris Olympics. "The COIB and Belgian Triathlon hope that lessons will be learned for future Triathlon events at the Olympics," the statement reads: "We believe that clarification is needed regarding the guarantee of training days, competition days, and the competition format to avoid any uncertainties for the athletes, entourage, and fans."
Triathlon Relay Cancelled Again
Michel, 35, finished 38th in the individual event. The competition was in jeopardy due to the poor water quality of the Seine but was able to proceed after the water quality improved.
The bacterial contamination in the Seine has been a topic of concern in Paris for weeks. The river is also set to host the Open Water Swimming events after the Triathlons. After heavy rain on the opening day, the E.Coli bacteria levels in the river initially exceeded the limit, leading to the Men's Triathlon being postponed by a day. The Men's and Women's competitions were held on the same day last Wednesday.
The poor water quality of the Seine continued to cause problems on Sunday. The last scheduled swimming training session for the Mixed Relay Triathlon was cancelled. A decision on whether the competition can proceed as planned will be made on Monday morning, just hours before the scheduled start.
Despite Claire Michel's recovery, Belgium will miss the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris's Mixed Teams Triathlon event, as their team chose to withdraw in solidarity. The Belgian NOC expressed concerns about the event's organization, particularly the unpredictability of the competition format and training days, aiming for improvements in future Triathlons.
