One week before the start of the Olympic Games, Paris is getting ready for their arrival. The Seine will be the stage for the opening ceremony, where all the athletes of all the committees will pass through, as well as various sporting events in search of medals. During the last months there has been a lot of controversy about the state of the water of the river but those doubts have been dispelled since Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris has swum in the waters of the Seine.

The mayor took a symbolic swim in the Seine to demonstrate the improvement in the quality of its waters before the next Olympic Games. Clad in goggles and a wetsuit, she dived under the Seine and traveled about 100 meters downstream.

“It’s wonderful, very, very nice,” Hidalgo said. Joining her were top French officials and Tony Estanguet, chief organizer of the Paris Games. “We are together where we wanted to be,” Estanguet noted, referring to the cleanliness of the water.

10,000 ATHLETES FOR THE SENA

In addition to the more than 10,000 athletes at the opening ceremony, triathlon and open water swimming will also compete in the Seine, and after the Games, Paris plans to open three public bathing areas in the river next year.

“It rained all over France. Summer has been a long time coming, and so have the good results,” says Marc Valmassoni of the Surfrider group, which fights for clean water. “They are neither excellent nor terrible, they are normal, but at the moment the water is fit for swimming.”

The Olympic trials also depend on the weather, rain is expected on the eve of the triathlon and the swim that can cause problems. In a worst-case scenario, the triathlon swim could be canceled and the open water swim could be moved. The rains in May and June have also affected the opening ceremony as organizers have had to postpone rehearsals several times due to strong currents.

THE HISTORY OF THE CEREMONY

The artistic director of the opening and closing ceremonies, Thomas Jolly, together with the team of creators, screenwriter Fanny Herrero, writer Leïla Slimani, historian Patrick Boucheron and playwright Damien Gabriac, explained what the ceremonies will be about.

They explained that they have changed the structure, which is normally organized around an artistic show alongside the athletes’ parade. This year, all the elements will be mixed and the public will be allowed to follow the course of the Seine and the Parisian monuments along its banks, giving, of course, the leading role to the athletes.

Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, said: “As we present the artistic team for the Opening Ceremony, we are delighted to announce the four talents who will deliver this unique show: Fanny Herrero, Leïla Slimani, Patrick Boucheron and Damien Gabriac. This wonderful multidisciplinary, daring and gender-balanced team has created a foundational story for this celebration that we are delighted to present to you on the banks of the Seine on July 26.”