By Ian Ransom
PARIS (Reuters) -The Olympic women’s 10km marathon swimming event started on schedule on Thursday after water quality tests in the Seine river met thresholds.
Brazil’s defending champion Ana Marcela Cunha and swimming rivals in the gruelling event dived off a platoon by the Alexandre III bridge at 7:30 a.m. (0530 GMT) and swam furiously toward the Pont de l’Alma.
The race features a 1.67km loop completed six times between the two bridges on the river flowing through the French capital.
Games organisers and World Aquatics earlier said the latest tests from the Seine had been assessed as compliant following a meeting with stakeholders.
French authorities have spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) on upgrading the city’s sewage systems, promising the river will be clean for residents to swim in by next summer.
However, water quality issues proved a headache for organisers during the triathlon events, with familiarisation sessions cancelled and the men’s race postponed by 24 hours.
A familiarisation session for the marathon swimming went ahead on Wednesday after being cancelled on Tuesday due to concerns over water pollution.
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(Reporting by Ian Ransom; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Tom Hogue)
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