PARIS: Olympic triathletes plunged into the Seine River Monday morning as the mixed relay event got underway after days of uncertainty over water quality in the long-polluted Paris waterway.
The plan to hold the swimming portion of the triathlons and the marathon swimming events in the Seine was an ambitious one. Swimming in the river has, with some exceptions, been off-limits since 1923 because it has been too toxic.
Representatives from World Triathlon and the International Olympic Committee along with Paris Games organizers and regional and weather authorities met Sunday night to review water tests. The results indicated the water quality at the triathlon site had improved over the preceding hours and would be within the limits mandated by World Triathlon by Monday morning, they said in a statement.
The decision to allow the event to go forward with swims in the Seine came after Belgium’s Olympic committee announced Sunday that it would withdraw its team from the mixed relay triathlon after one of its competitors who swam in the river last week fell ill. It was not clear whether her illness had anything to do with her swim in the Seine.
Paris spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) on infrastructure improvements to clean up the river that flows through its center. That included the construction of a giant basin to capture excess rainwater and keep wastewater from flowing into the river, renovating sewer infrastructure and upgrading wastewater treatment plants.
Heavy rains that have fallen off and on during the Games have caused headaches for organizers as they result in elevated levels of fecal bacteria, including E. coli and enterococci, flowing into the river.
But organizers have continued to express confidence that warm temperatures and the sun’s ultraviolet rays would combine to kill enough of the germs ahead of each event set to include a swim in the Seine.
Athletes swam in the river for the men’s and women’s individual triathlons Wednesday, though the men’s race had been delayed by a day because of the water quality. Elevated bacteria levels in the waterway have caused cancelations of the swimming portion of training sessions for the relay event.
Daily water quality tests measure levels of the fecal bacteria, including E. coli. World Triathlon’s water safety guidelines and a 2006 European Union directive assign qualitative values to a range of E. coli levels.
Under World Triathlon’s guidelines, E. coli levels up to 1,000 colony-forming units per 100 milliliters can be considered “good” and can allow competitions to go forward.
The triathlon mixed relay involves four-person teams made up of two men and two women, with each athlete swimming for 300 meters (yards), cycling for 6.8 kilometers and running for 2 kilometers.
Olympic triathlon mixed relay gets underway with swims in the Seine amid water quality concerns
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Olympic triathlon mixed relay gets underway with swims in the Seine amid water quality concerns
- Organizers on Sunday night made the decision to hold the event Monday morning with swimming legs in the Seine
- Organizers said tests showed water quality at the triathlon site would be within the limits mandated by World Triathlon
Siraj’s 4-17 helps Gujarat to hat-trick of IPL wins
- Hyderabad-born Siraj kept up his bowling form in the T20 tournament this season with nine wickets in four matches and kept down hosts Hyderabad to 152-8
HYDERABAD, India: Pace bowler Mohammed Siraj returned figures of 4-17 to set up a third straight IPL win for Gujarat Titans as they hammered Sunrisers Hyderabad by seven wickets on Sunday.
Hyderabad-born Siraj kept up his bowling form in the T20 tournament this season with nine wickets in four matches and kept down hosts Hyderabad to 152-8.
Skipper Shubman Gill hit an unbeaten 61 as Gujarat, champions in their debut season in 2022, overhauled the total with 20 balls to spare for their third victory in four matches.
Hyderabad, who lost the IPL final to Kolkata Knight Riders last year, remain at the bottom of the 10-team table with four successive defeats from five outings.
Hyderabad skipper Pat Cummins struck early to dent Gujarat’s chase when he had Jos Buttler out for a duck after fellow quick Mohammed Shami had removed opener Sai Sudharsan.
Gill and number four Washington Sundar, a left-hand batter who smashed 49 off 29 balls, put the chase on track in their stand of 90 after Gujarat slipped to 16-2.
Shami denied Sundar his fifty with Aniket Verma taking a good catch in the deep, a decision that left the batsman and the Gujarat camp disappointed.
Impact substitute Sherfane Rutherford, a West Indian left-hander, kept up the charge with a flurry of boundaries including four in a row off Abhishek’s left-arm spin to ease into the chase.
Rutherford smashed 35 off 16 balls laced with six fours and one six. Gill anchored the chase in his 43-ball knock and hit the winning run.
Siraj remained hero as he removed openers Travis Head, for eight in the first over, and then another left-hander Abhishek Sharma, for 18, to hurt Hyderabad.
Prasidh Krishna took down left-hander Ishan Kishan for 17 before Sai Kishore took charge with his left-arm spin to rattle the opposition middle-order.
Kishore sent back Heinrich Klaasen, for 27, and Nitish Reddy, for 31, as Hyderabad wobbled and Siraj came back with two wickets with the old ball in his final over.
Cummins smashed 22 off nine balls in a late blitz that got his team 17 runs from the 20th over off veteran pace bowler Ishant Sharma, who leaked 53 of his four.
No ‘killer instinct’ as Man Utd, Man City play out derby stalemate
- City’s hopes of Champions League qualification remain in the balance
- A point leaves United languishing down in 13th
MANCHESTER: Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim said his side must improve “everywhere” after a dismal derby against Manchester City ended 0-0 on Sunday.
City’s hopes of Champions League qualification remain in the balance as they remain fifth in the Premier League, which should be enough to reach next season’s Champions League.
However, Pep Guardiola’s men are just two points above Newcastle, who have two games in hand on City.
A point leaves United languishing down in 13th, but they had the better of a game limited in chances as they missed out on a first league double over City since 2019/20.
“We have so many aspects to improve. Everywhere we need to improve in every aspect: build up, transition, decisions in the final third,” said Amorim.
“Every player can improve, they are here because they showed something at other clubs. They have the quality, but we are still a team that plays on transition, we need to spend more time in final third to have more opportunities.”
Never in the Premier League era have neither City or United finished in the top four but that record is under severe threat in the coming months.
A contest devoid of quality, intensity or fight summed up a dreadful season for both sides of the Manchester divide.
After a record four consecutive league titles, City’s form has fallen off a cliff to leave them at risk of not making the top four for the first time since 2009/10.
United’s only chance of Champions League qualification is by winning the Europa League as they are set for their worst ever Premier League finish.
The Red Devils have shown flashes of improvement this week but also failed to score in their 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest on Tuesday to underline their problem in front of goal.
“We just need to have a bit more of a killer instinct,” said United captain Bruno Fernandes. “In the first half we had to many touches when we just needed one. We were patient, very organized but the killer instinct was missing today.”
Kevin De Bruyne started just days after announcing this will be his final season at City.
But the Belgian’s performance was the latest example that he is now a shadow of the figure Guardiola said will be remembered as one of the Premier League’s all-time greats.
City had the majority of the ball, but United were the more threatening side on the counter-attack in a pedestrian first half.
“We were not good enough to punish them or hurt them a little bit more than what happened,” said Guardiola. “We take the point. It would be better to win but still we are there.”
Phil Foden had the game’s best chance just seconds after half-time, but fluffed his lines with only Andre Onana to beat.
The spectacle did marginally improve after the break as Omar Marmoush’s powerful effort from a corner stung the palms of Onana.
Joshua Zirkzee and Mason Mount’s introduction off the bench added more thrust to the United attack in the final 20 minutes.
Both had a chance to win it when Zirkzee’s shot was clawed away by Ederson and Rico Lewis did well to get in the way of Mount’s follow-up effort.
There were smiles during a warm embrace between Guardiola and Amorim at full-time but those pleasantries disguised the fact that neither man can be happy with the state of their sides after a disappointing campaign.
Verstappen wins in Suzuka to close contest gap on Norris
- The win on a damp but drying track at Suzuka was Verstappen’s fourth straight victory in Japan
SUZUKA: Four-time world champion Max Verstappen led from pole to checkered flag to win the Japanese Grand Prix on Sunday, his first victory of the 2025 season, with McLaren’s Lando Norris second.
The Dutch Red Bull driver crossed the finish line almost 1.5 seconds in front of Briton Norris, who held off his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri of Australia in third.
The win on a damp but drying track at Suzuka was Verstappen’s fourth straight victory in Japan and closed the gap on Norris at the top of the drivers’ championship to one point.
Norris now has 62 points after three races, with Verstappen on 61 and Piastri third on 49.
“It was tough. The McLarens were pushing me very hard,” said Verstappen.
“It was a lot of fun but not easy pushing the tires. I am incredibly happy.
“Starting on pole made it possible to win.”
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc finished fourth ahead of the Mercedes pair of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.
Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton was seventh, with RB’s Isack Hadjar next ahead of Williams’ Alex Albon and Haas’s Oliver Bearman.
Yuki Tsunoda finished 12th in his first race for Red Bull since replacing Liam Lawson, having started from 14th on the grid in his home grand prix. Lawson was 17th for RB.
Norris said the race was won and lost in qualifying, where Verstappen pulled off a lap for the ages to claim his first pole of the season with a new lap record.
“Max drove a good race today, made no mistakes,” said Norris, who started from second on the grid.
“A flat-out race from start to finish, so it was tough but there was nothing we could get Max on.”
Verstappen and Norris were involved in a flashpoint midway through the race as the two front-runners emerged from
a pit stop.
Norris drew alongside Verstappen but the Dutchman refused to budge and Norris was forced onto the grass before sliding back onto the track.
Stewards reviewed the incident and decided not to investigate further and Norris admitted later it was just part of racing.
“Max is the last guy I expect to give me any space, in a good way, in a racing way,” he said.
Verstappen has struggled to get to grips with his Red Bull this season, finishing second in Australia and fourth in China.
But he set a stunning pole lap and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner hailed the way Verstappen has kept the team in the title race.
“There’s no better tonic for motivation than winning,” said Horner.
“Verstappen is like Mr. Motivator. It was a flat-out race, there was no tire saving.
“For us all priority is on the drivers’ championship, for us the constructors’ will be harder.”
McLaren’s double podium extended their lead in the constructors’ title race to 36 points over Mercedes. McLaren have 111 points, Mercedes are second on 75 with Red Bull third on 61, all scored by Verstappen.
Eighteen-year-old rookie Antonelli briefly took the mid-race lead while Verstappen and Norris were in the pits, to become Formula One’s youngest-ever race leader.
Verstappen, back in the lead after Antonelli’s stop, was given the green light to push until the end of the race.
Piastri told his team “I have the pace to get Max” but Norris would not cede second and Verstappen could not be caught.
Fulham end Liverpool unbeaten league run to delay title party
- Arne Slot’s men were unbeaten in 26 league games and looked set to take another step toward the title
- Liverpool still enjoy an 11-point lead at the top with seven games remaining
LONDON: Liverpool slumped to just their second Premier League defeat of the season as Fulham struck three times in 14 first-half minutes to boost their own European ambitions with a 3-2 win on Sunday.
Arsenal’s 1-1 draw at Everton on Saturday left Liverpool needing just 11 points from their final eight games to secure a record-equalling 20th English top-flight title.
Arne Slot’s men were unbeaten in 26 league games and looked set to take another step toward the title when Alexis Mac Allister’s stunning strike opened the scoring.
But poor defending allowed Ryan Sessegnon, Alex Iwobi and Rodrigo Muniz to turn the game around for Fulham.
Liverpool still enjoy an 11-point lead at the top with seven games remaining.
Victory lifts Fulham to eighth and within three points of the top five, which is almost certain to be enough for a place in next season’s Champions League.
Despite a stellar first season under Slot, Liverpool have shown signs of slowing down in recent weeks and came off the rails in west London.
After a Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain and League Cup final defeat to Newcastle, Liverpool edged out Everton 1-0 in a feisty Merseyside derby on Wednesday to get back to winning ways.
But the Reds appear to be running out of steam after challenging in four competitions for most of the season.
Mac Allister’s blistering long range strike into the top corner after 14 minutes gave Liverpool the dream start.
The Reds wilted in the Craven Cottage sunshine, with a series of individual errors leading to Fulham’s three quickfire goals.
Curtis Jones, deputising out of position at right-back, failed to control Andreas Pereira’s cross and the ball fell kindly for Sessegnon to fire home his third goal in five games.
Andy Robertson then had a nightmare for Fulham’s second.
The Scotland captain gave away possession deep in Liverpool territory, then could only head an attempted clearance into the path of Iwobi, whose shot deflected in off Robertson.
The normally unflappable Virgil van Dijk was at fault for the third as Muniz outmuscled the Dutchman and produced a brilliant low finish under Caoimhin Kelleher.
Diogo Jota was denied by Bernd Leno early in the second half with a big chance to reduce Liverpool’s deficit.
It was not until Slot turned to his bench to introduce Luis Diaz, Connor Bradley and Harvey Elliott that the visitors sparked into life.
Mohamed Salah has not scored in his last four league games and wasted a big chance to break that drought when he turned Diaz’s inviting cross over.
Bradley teed up Diaz to find the bottom corner and set up a grandstand finish 18 minutes from time.
Elliott hit the bar against his former club as Liverpool pushed for an equalizer.
Fulham, though, stayed strong to see out six minutes of added time and delay Liverpool’s title celebrations.
Chennai coach Fleming struggles to find the balance after third straight loss
- Chennai’s top order collapsed as they lost three wickets in the first six overs after Delhi Capitals had posted 183-6 on Saturday
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming said they have yet to get the balance right at the top of the order after they slipped to a third straight loss in the Indian Premier League while chasing after poor starts in the powerplay.
Chennai’s top order collapsed as they lost three wickets in the first six overs after Delhi Capitals had posted 183-6 on Saturday.
An unbeaten 84-run partnership between Vijay Shankar (69 off 54) and Mahendra Singh Dhoni (30 off 26) for the sixth wicket was not enough to get the hosts over the line as Delhi won by 25 runs.
The defeat mirrored Chennai’s previous two matches, where they also scored less than eight runs per over in the powerplay.
Fleming told reporters that finding the balance was a “conundrum.”
“To get more solidity at the top we have to remove, obviously, an overseas player, so we’re grappling just with the combination that we need,” Fleming said.
IPL rules allow only four overseas players in the playing 11.
Chennai openers Rachin Ravindra and Devon Conway are both overseas players, while overseas bowlers Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana are among their top-three wicket-takers this season, leaving Fleming with a difficult choice.
Fleming also said Chennai had to improve during powerplays.
“We felt that our batting in the powerplays has been below par and going too hard was probably not the way, particularly on our wicket, which is a little bit tricky,” he said.
“So we’re looking just to settle that with guys that have been in good form and have done it before, so that’s the theory behind that and that’s what we’ll possibly continue with.”
