Triathlon-Swimming Training Session Cancelled after Rain Lifts Pollution Levels in Seine

The sun sets over the Seine river next to the Louvre museum, at right, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
The sun sets over the Seine river next to the Louvre museum, at right, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
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Triathlon-Swimming Training Session Cancelled after Rain Lifts Pollution Levels in Seine

The sun sets over the Seine river next to the Louvre museum, at right, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/David Goldman)
The sun sets over the Seine river next to the Louvre museum, at right, during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Paris. (AP Photo/David Goldman)

The Olympics' triathlon swimming training session scheduled for Sunday has been cancelled after recent heavy rain in Paris affected pollution levels in the Seine, organizers said in a statement.

"The tests carried out in the Seine yesterday revealed water quality levels that in the view of the international federation, World Triathlon, did not provide sufficient guarantees to allow the event to be held," said Paris 2024.

"This is due to rain that has fallen on Paris on July 26-27,” Reuters quoted it as saying.

Organizers said that, given the forecast for sunshine and higher temperatures over the next 48 hours, they were "confident" water quality would improve again before the triathlon events begin on Tuesday with the men's race.

World Triathlon meets with Paris city authorities at 4 a.m. each morning ahead of triathlon training or competition events to analyze the latest water test results and decide whether the Seine is clean enough for athletes to swim.

The running and cycling course familiarization sessions were going ahead as planned on Sunday.
The French capital has been working on cleaning up the Seine so people can swim in it again, as was the case during the 1900 Paris Olympics.



Argentina Shakes off Chaos of Morocco Game by Beating Iraq 3-1

 Argentina's Ezequiel Fernandez celebrates after scoring during the men's Group B soccer match between Argentina and Iraq at the Lyon stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Decines, France. (AP)
Argentina's Ezequiel Fernandez celebrates after scoring during the men's Group B soccer match between Argentina and Iraq at the Lyon stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Decines, France. (AP)
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Argentina Shakes off Chaos of Morocco Game by Beating Iraq 3-1

 Argentina's Ezequiel Fernandez celebrates after scoring during the men's Group B soccer match between Argentina and Iraq at the Lyon stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Decines, France. (AP)
Argentina's Ezequiel Fernandez celebrates after scoring during the men's Group B soccer match between Argentina and Iraq at the Lyon stadium during the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 27, 2024, in Decines, France. (AP)

Argentina got its Olympic men's soccer campaign back on track by beating Iraq 3-1 on Saturday in Lyon.

Argentina, one of the pre-tournament favorites, suffered a shock 2-1 loss to Morocco in its Group B opening game marred by a pitch invasion from Moroccan fans and a two-hour delay.

While Iraq threatened to pull off another surprise when Aymen Hussein leveled the game in first-half stoppage time, goals from Luciano Gondou and Ignacio Fernandez sealed victory for Argentina.

Thiago Almada, who Argentina coach Javier Mascherano said had a watch stolen when the team's training base was robbed earlier this week, opened the scoring with a volley in the 14th minute at Stade de Lyon.

But Hussein's header in the fifth minute of first half-time added time evened the game before the break.

Gondou's far-post header in the 62nd restored Argentina's lead and Fernandez curled in a long-range shot from the edge of the box in the 85th.

The win leaves Argentina level with Iraq and Morocco on three points. Morocco was playing Ukraine in a later kick off.

Spain advances Spain reached the quarterfinals with a 3-1 win over the Dominican Republic in Bordeaux.

Goals from Fermín Lopez, Alex Baena and Miguel Gutierrez made it two wins from two for Spain in Group C.

Lopez — one of Barcelona’s rising stars — scored in the 24th, but Angel Montes de Oca evened the game in the 38th.

Baena restored Spain’s lead in the 55th and Gutierrez sealed it in the 70th.

Spain’s men are aiming to add to a golden period for its nation’s soccer teams after the women’s team won the World Cup last year and the men won the European Championship earlier this month.