German coach hopes for Olympic swimming in Seine but also for plan B

German swimming coach Bernd Berkhahn still hopes that the open water events at the Paris Olympics can take place as planned in the River Seine but has also called for a plan B.

A report published last week said that the water quality of the Seine river was still not good enough to organize competitions there as planned.

"The race in the Seine is a great challenge in terms of its demands. We have to put a lot of effort into preparing for it in training. I hope these efforts were not in vain," Berkhahn said in an interview published by the German Swimming Federation.

"Of course I would also like to experience the race in this atmosphere."

Berkhahn added that the current was also too strong at the moment to stage events.

"As things stand, it would not be possible to stage the races in the Seine because the current speed is two metres per second. You can get downstream quickly, but not back," he said.

Berkhahn said that organizers "should certainly have a plan B" if the competition can't be held in the Seine.

The open water events over 10 kilometres at the Paris Games are scheduled for August 8 (women) and 9 (men) on a loop course.

Long distance events coach Berkhahn trains athletes including Florian Wellbrock who won gold at the last Olympics in Tokyo and has also won two of his six world titles over the 10km distance.