Athletes, Officials Confident in Water Quality Ahead of Triathlon Event

(ATR) Rio 2016 and International Triathlon Union officials say that water quality will not be an issue for the triathlon and para-triathlon test event.

Speaking at a press conference before the event, Rio 2016 and ITU sporting directors Rodrigo Garcia and Gergely Markus, say that testing has been done on the waters of Copacabana beach and that the health and safety of the participating athletes is the number one priority of the event.

The pair confirmed that water quality earlier in the week water quality in the beach was not safe for athlete participation, due to rains earlier in the week that brought debris into the ocean. Garcia added that testing done showed the water was clear and safe for the event on Aug. 2-3.

Copacabana was named in an AP report as one of the bodies of water in Rio de Janeiro that posed a health risks to athletes competing in them due to high levels of bacteria and viruses.

The report said that Rio 2016, Brazilian government and IOC officials only tested for bacteria in the competition venues, while neglecting dangerous viruses. Guanabara Bay and the Lagoa de Freitas were named as the bodies of waters that posed the highest risk for athletes, but Copacabana Beach showed heightened levels of bacteria and viruses.

"What we can ensure is we will have a fair test event here for the athletes and a fair Olympic event in 2016," Rodrigo Garcia told reporters.

"We do not have the raw sewage flowing into Copacabana. According to the World Health Organization and the IOC, we have done tests for this standard and this is what we will deliver. The standards for viruses is something we do not test, but I can reassure for the athletes that they will have a healthy environment where they can find wherever they go to swim, run or bike.

The athletes participating in the test event are not concerned with the quality of the swim and are focuses on having the fastest race they can in Brazil.

"As far as we are concerned, this happens in any inner city venue," Alastair Brownlee, London 2012 gold medalist in triathlon from Great Britain, said to reporters.

"As an athlete, you can do what you can. You are trying to minimize illness during the race, so don’t spend too much time in the water beforehand. If you are worried about it, take precautions like making sure you are clean. I think I’ve swam in a lot worse than this, to be honest."

Triathlon will be the first test event for Rio 2016 since a sailing test event in August 2014 that takes places in the waters named by the AP report. At the time, officials from the International Sailing Federation said they believed the water was safe for athletes to participate in, and testing had been going on.

Garcia said that in addition to testing from the Rio de Janeiro state government, national Olympic committees from all over the world have been independently testing the waters in Rio de Janeiro to ensure the safety of their athletes.

"We’re going to compete like it is any other race," Bill Chaffey, world champion in para-triathlon from Australia, said.

"That is what we are here to do."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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