Hometown hero Cassandre Beaugrand won the highly-anticipated women’s triathlon in Paris, while Australia’s Matthew Hauser is bidding for a medal in the men’s, which is underway despite concerns over the water quality in the River Seine.
Hauser was third, just four seconds behind leader Alessio Crociani, after the transition from the swimming phase to the bike phase and then joined a large leading group of 20-odd competitors.
Australia was not expected to contend for a medal in the women’s triathlon but Hauser ranks No. 3 in the World Triathlon Rankings.
In the women’s event the 27-year-old Beaugrand, joined on the podium by Switzerland’s Julie Derron and Britain’s Beth Potter, finished the course in 1:54:55, just six seconds ahead of silver medallist Derron.
Australians Sophie Linn and Natalie van Coevorden placed 21st and 42nd with times of 1:58:52 and 2:03:01 respectively.
The start to the women’s triathlon was marred by an obvious false start from some of the participants.
Two days of training were cancelled over the weekend, before the men’s event – scheduled for 4pm AEST yesterday – was postponed just four hours before it was due to begin.
The men’s event was moved to a 6:45pm AEST start with the women’s event getting underway at 4pm.
“The stakeholders involved have confirmed that the women’s and the men’s triathlons will go ahead as planned,“ a World Triathlon statement said.
“The results of the latest water analyses … have been assessed as compliant by World Triathlon allowing for the triathlon competitions to take place.”
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Paris has spent 1.4 billion euros ($2.5bn AUD) on improvements to sewer and rainwater systems in the lead-up to these games. The triathlon and Olympic marathon swimming to be held in the Seine was meant to be a crowning glory of these Games, which would also leave a legacy in the form of three new public swimming areas to be opened in the river.
Paris’ mayor even swam in the Seine last month in the lead-up to the Games in a bid to prove it was safe. Water tests, meanwhile, showed bacteria levels were within healthy limits even as recently as last week.
Tests are being carried out daily on the water quality in the Seine, which is also due to host the triathlon mixed relay on 5 August, the Olympic marathon swimming on 8 and 9 August, and the Para-triathlon event at the Paralympics, which start on 28 August.
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USA’S “DIRTY” OLYMPICS DILEMMA
The USA have a “dirty” Olympics dilemma on their hands.
Team USA are quite comfortably the most talented basketball side in Paris this year and look near certainties to clinch the gold medal with a star-studded line-up that is the envy of the competition.
But it hasn’t all been smooth sailing for the global powerhouses, with coach Steve Kerr coming under fire after Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum didn’t take to the court in Team USA’s opening round clash against Serbia.
A clinical shooting performance from Kevin Durant and a vintage outing from LeBron James saw Kerr’s side secure a 26-point win.
But Tatum did not step foot onto the court.
“DNP-CD (Did Not Play – Coach’s Decision) is something I saw regularly next to my name in the NBA, but I reckon Tatum would be filthy to read this alongside his name – especially as part of the national team, at an Olympics,” Australian basketball legend Shane Heal told news.com.au.
“While publicly I’m sure he will toe the company line – “I’m all good and it’s part of the role and bigger picture to win gold” – there’s no doubt that privately he would be a little embarrassed and shocked to not even hit the floor,” Heal said.
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Tatum is fresh off becoming an NBA champion with the Celtics and has recently signed a five-year deal worth $470m Australian dollars.
Managing “egos” as Heal puts it, will be one of Kerr’s biggest challenges this campaign. How do you get a group of champions to play as a team?
Eyebrows were raised when Tatum’s Celtics teammate and Finals MVP Jaylen Brown was omitted from the squad, with Derrick White instead the preferred option.
Heal believes that was the “right decision taking a role player”, given White’s ability to gel with big name players as a “genuine glue guy”.
The Golden State Warriors coach said he “felt like an idiot” for not playing Tatum against Nikola Jokic’s Serbia but did indicate that Tatum was “going to play” at some stage.
“Every game’s going to be different based on matchups,” Kerr said.
But Heal questioned why Kerr and Team USA couldn’t spin the magnets to squeeze him in for some minutes.
“How does that even happen? … the USA team has so much flexibility and mobility to play the best players, even if they aren’t playing the exact position they normally would,” the four-time Olympian said.
“Kerr’s toughest job is managing minutes and egos, not always in that order, and I agree with him that it’s difficult to play more than 10 players in the 40-minute FIBA rules.
“You just can’t have an NBA superstar, max player and NBA champion give up his off-season to sit on the bench all game.”
Team USA are set to take on South Sudan in their second Olympics match.
