Paris Mayor swims in the Seine nine days before Olympic Games kickoff

YEREVAN, JULY 17, ARMENPRESS. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo took a long-awaited dip in the River Seine on Wednesday morning in a bid to prove the water is clean enough to host the outdoor swimming events at the Olympics later this month, France 24 reports. 

Sporting a wetsuit and goggles, Hidalgo swam in the famed waterway as hundreds of onlookers watched from the riverbanks and fulfilled a promise she made back in January.

She was joined by Tony Estanguet, head of the Paris 2024 Games.

Despite investing some $1.4 billion euros in preparing the Seine for the Olympics – largely to prevent sewage leaks into the river – the Seine had until recently repeatedly failed daily water quality tests, the report adds.

Hidalgo had originally planned to swim in June, but had to delay her dip because bacteria indicating the presence of faecal matter were found to be sometimes 10 times higher than authorized limits.

But since the beginning of July, as heavy rains finally gave way to sunnier weather, samples have shown the river to be ready for the open-water swimming and triathlon – and for 65-year-old Hidalgo, France24 adds.

Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be held from July 26 to August 11.