OLYMPICS-RIO/TRIATHLON Triathletes unconcerned about quality of Rio sea water for Olympic test event

Record ID: 145592

  • Title: OLYMPICS-RIO/TRIATHLON Triathletes unconcerned about quality of Rio sea water for Olympic test event
  • Date: 31st July 2015
  • Summary: RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL (JULY 31, 2015) (REUTERS) FISHING BOATS ON THE SAND AT COPACABANA BEACH LOOKING OUT TO SEA A FLOATING PLATFORM FROM WHICH THE TRIATHLON TEST EVENT WILL BE WATCHED AND JUDGED COPACABANA FORT / VIEW OUT TO SEA VARIOUS OF BARRIERS BLOCKING THE ROADS IN PREPARATION FOR THE TRIATHLON TEST EVENT A COLOURFUL CUT OUT OF A FROG ON A BICYCLE WITH THE WHEELS SP
  • Embargoed: 15th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA8XDQI18PYIP4PYKPCZU9E2OPH
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Athletes said on Friday (July 31) that the quality of the sea water in Copacabana where the Olympic Triathlon test events will be based this weekend does not concern them, a day after a report found high levels of disease-causing viruses in the nearby Guanabara Bay.
    Thursday's Associated Press report caused a frenzy over water quality in Olympic venues, after virus levels in the bay where several sports events will take place was found to be 1.7 million times the level considered hazardous for a Southern California beach.
    Triathletes gearing up for what doubles as a qualifying round for next year's Games, however, downplayed concerns about pollution and dirt in the area of sea where they will compete.
    British Olympic gold medalist, Alistair Brownlee, said that he had swum in waters far dirtier, and returned the onus to the athlete for protecting his or herself from the competition's environment.
    "I think as an athlete you can do what you can to limit problems, if you actually get ill from swallowing water during the race it is not an issue at all, you just get ill after the race. What you are trying to minimize is illness during the race, so not spending too much time in it beforehand if you're worried about it, and talking precautions like making sure you are clean and that kind of thing. I think I am certainly no stranger to dirty water I think I swim in a lot worse that this to be honest," said Brownlee in Rio on Friday.
    Brownlee is one of the few male triathletes who regularly completes the 10-kilometre (6,2-mile) run in under 30 minutes, following a 1,5-kilometre (0,6-mile) swim and a 40-kilometre (24,8-mile) cycle, which in this edition will take on Rio's mountainous inclines.
    Brazilian triathlete Pamela Oliveira said that the grandeur of a sporting event of this proportion should be the weekend's focus, dispelling concerns about the water she has bathed in her whole life.
    "There are a lot of marathons here, triathlons organised by the Federation, hundreds and hundreds of tourists who swim in the sea every day. I myself swam here millions of times and I never had a problem, so I really don't think it is something we need to focus on. I think with such a grand competition and so many of the world's best athletes and triathletes here we should be focusing on something else," said Oliveira.
    Rio 2016 Director of Spots, Rodrigo Garcia, echoed remarks made by the International Olympic Committee on Thursday, stressing the health and welfare of athletes as a top priority for the event's organisers.
    "We are here really to ensure for the athletes the best scenario and we are all concerned about health and the water quality, we don't want to have athletes swimming or jumping or rowing in a place where it is not suitable for a competition," Garcia said.
    Qualifications for the Games will be awarded by the International Triathlon Federation to the three leading National Olympic Committees of each of the Paralympic, and Olympic women's and men's events.
    If any of the top-three competing nations has already qualified through one of the federations' continental competitions, the leading athlete of that committee will be guaranteed his or her place in the Games.
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