Britain's Alex Yee Goes in Seine to Win Olympic Triathlon Test Event

Great Britain's Alex Yee won the men's triathlon test event for next year's Olympics in Paris. Emmanuel DUNAND / POOL/AFP
Great Britain's Alex Yee won the men's triathlon test event for next year's Olympics in Paris. Emmanuel DUNAND / POOL/AFP
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Britain's Alex Yee Goes in Seine to Win Olympic Triathlon Test Event

Great Britain's Alex Yee won the men's triathlon test event for next year's Olympics in Paris. Emmanuel DUNAND / POOL/AFP
Great Britain's Alex Yee won the men's triathlon test event for next year's Olympics in Paris. Emmanuel DUNAND / POOL/AFP

Britain's Alex Yee braved the waters of the Seine to win the men's triathlon test event for the Paris Olympics on Friday, on a course identical to the one set to be used for next year's event.

As with the women's test event on Thursday, won by another Briton Beth Potter, the athletes plunged into the Seine for the 1500 meter swim element -- only two weeks after the open water swimming test event had been canceled because the water quality had been ruled to be "below acceptable standards".

After 40 kilometers on the bicycle, the race concluded with Yee, 25, romping home in the 10k run down the Champs Elysees, AFP said.

The Tokyo silver medalist finished 13 seconds clear of Portugal's Vasco Vilaca and home hope Dorian Coninx.

"Having a first experience like this on this course before the next one in Paris gives me confidence and hope that I can replicate my performance when I come back," said Yee.

"It's a privilege to have the status of man to beat... but I feel like I'm continuing to improve."

Potter's win on Thursday prompted questions about the quality of the water in the river Seine which runs through the center of Paris.

"It's too early to say," said Potter after completing the course.

"Maybe we'll get sick, you never know. I hope not, but that's the risk you take swimming in open water."



French Open Organizers Scrap 25th Anniversary Ceremony for Mary Pierce as She Can’t Attend 

Sixth-seeded Mary Pierce of France kisses the trophy after she defeated fifth-seeded Conchita Martinez of Spain 6-2, 7-5, during their final at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris Saturday, June 10, 2000. (AP)
Sixth-seeded Mary Pierce of France kisses the trophy after she defeated fifth-seeded Conchita Martinez of Spain 6-2, 7-5, during their final at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris Saturday, June 10, 2000. (AP)
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French Open Organizers Scrap 25th Anniversary Ceremony for Mary Pierce as She Can’t Attend 

Sixth-seeded Mary Pierce of France kisses the trophy after she defeated fifth-seeded Conchita Martinez of Spain 6-2, 7-5, during their final at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris Saturday, June 10, 2000. (AP)
Sixth-seeded Mary Pierce of France kisses the trophy after she defeated fifth-seeded Conchita Martinez of Spain 6-2, 7-5, during their final at the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros stadium in Paris Saturday, June 10, 2000. (AP)

A ceremony to honor Mary Pierce, the last Frenchwoman to win the title at Roland-Garros 25 years ago, has been scrapped because she can't attend, French Open organizers said on Wednesday.

The ceremony was scheduled to take place on Thursday between the women’s semifinals at the clay-court Grand Slam tournament. But Pierce is unable to be there this week “due to personal reasons,” organizers said.

Pierce’s title at the 2000 French Open was the most recent in singles for a French player, male or female, at Roland-Garros. The 50-year-old Pierce also won the doubles title that year. Her other Grand Slam singles title came at the 1995 Australian Open, and she helped France win two Fed Cup titles.

The ceremony was supposed to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her title at Roland-Garros, as well as her 2019 induction into the International Tennis Hall of Fame, French Open organizers said.