Paris Olympics: Kiwi triathletes undaunted by fears over Seine water quality

Kiwi triathletes have shrugged off fears that the Paris Olympics events will be marred by pollution in the Seine and the prospect of illness in the ranks.

Tokyo bronze medallist Hayden Wilde will join Dylan McCullough, Nicole van der Kaay and Ainsley Thorpe in their respective individual events, before combining for the mixed relay, with iconic river scheduled to host the swim legs.

Leading up to the Games, many have expressed concerns over the state of the waterway, which will also play a major role in the opening ceremony, where teams will float downstream in barges.

Understandably excited to be selected for the Olympics, none of the NZ athletes are perturbed by the doomsayers.

Wilde admits he has other reservations.

"The thing I'm most concerned about is the shark," he teased. "There's a new movie on Netflix about the shark in the Seine - I hear it's pretty bad, but you've got to have a look."

'Under Seine' centres on a rogue mako shark that strays up the river to terrorise a pre-Olympic triathlon - a plotline a little too close to home for comfort.

"No issues," insisted Wilde. "I'm pretty confident we'll have a triathlon for sure."

All four Kiwis contested the Olympic test event last August, although Wilde fell on the bike section and did not complete the course.

More to come

Kiwi triathletes have shrugged off fears that the Paris Olympics events will be marred by pollution in the Seine and the prospect of illness in the ranks.

Tokyo bronze medallist Hayden Wilde will join Dylan McCullough, Nicole van der Kaay and Ainsley Thorpe in their respective individual events, before combining for the mixed relay, with iconic river scheduled to host the swim legs.

Leading up to the Games, many have expressed concerns over the state of the waterway, which will also play a major role in the opening ceremony, where teams will float downstream in barges.

Understandably excited to be selected for the Olympics, none of the NZ athletes are perturbed by the doomsayers.

Wilde admits he has other reservations.

"The thing I'm most concerned about is the shark," he teased. "There's a new movie on Netflix about the shark in the Seine - I hear it's pretty bad, but you've got to have a look."

'Under Seine' centres on a rogue mako shark that strays up the river to terrorise a pre-Olympic triathlon - a plotline a little too close to home for comfort.

"No issues," insisted Wilde. "I'm pretty confident we'll have a triathlon for sure."

All four Kiwis contested the Olympic test event last August, although Wilde fell on the bike section and did not complete the course.

More to come

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