France’s Beaugrand and Britain’s Yee win Olympic triathlon after concerns about Seine water quality

Triathlon races in Paris showcase stunning scenery, challenging conditions, and the Seine River as a unique backdrop.

One triathlon race had the rain-slickened streets. The other had the heat. Both had the scenery and, of course, the Seine.

After a couple of canceled swim practices and a delay because of the river's water quality, the women's and men's Olympic triathlon races finished on July 31 in spectacular fashion — on the Pont Alexandre III bridge spanning the famed waterway with the Eiffel Tower in the background.

“It’s magical,” said newly minted gold medalist Cassandre Beaugrand of France. “It’s the best route we’ve had in a long time and I know all the other athletes feel the same."

Ms. Beaugrand captured the women's Olympic triathlon by making her way through a Seine River that was under scrutiny for its water quality and navigating slippery roads that turned the cycling portion into a series of spills following an early morning rain.

On the men’s side, which started less than an hour after the women finished, there was plenty of stifling heat and humidity to deal with as the sun came out in full force. Alex Yee of Britain used a burst at the end to catch and pass Hayden Wilde of New Zealand to win the gold medal by six seconds.

“Everyone suffered in the heat,” Mr. Wilde said. “Everyone was in the same position. It was just really nice that we could race a day after the delay and just go with the flow.”

Holding the race in France’s second-longest river was all part of an ambitious plan to clean up the long-polluted Seine. Organizers have been steadfast in their insistence that the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swimming events next week could safely be held in the river.