By Helen Reid
PARIS (Reuters) -Triathletes fresh from their second swim in the Seine generally shrugged off the risk of waste in the river making them sick, but highlighted the stress they were put through as the levels of bacteria in the waterway caused repeated disruption.
French authorities have spent 1.4 billion euros ($1.53 billion) on upgrading the capital's sewage systems, promising the river will be clean enough for residents to swim in by next summer, though that will come too late for the athletes swallowing mouthfuls of it during their Olympic exertions.
The mixed relay went ahead as scheduled on Monday after organisers gave the all clear on Sunday evening, acknowledging athletes' demands for more certainty after the men's individual race was postponed at the last minute because bacteria levels in the river were too high.
"I think they could have invested more into having clean water. It seems like they were just hoping for the best and knew the athletes are going to do it because it's the Olympics," said Morgan Pearson, part of the U.S. team that won silver in the relay.
"It just seemed like a bit of a crapshoot if we raced or not," he added.
Several of the athletes said the uncertainty over the schedule and the last-minute postponement of the men's race impacted on their focus and their ability to perform on the day.
"It's tough to handle and you probably lose a night of sleep and therefore it influences a lot in your individual performance," said Germany's Tim Hellwig after his team won gold in the relay.
Organisers said they tried to mitigate the stress factor for the athletes by confirming the mixed relay on Sunday, rather than on the morning of the event.
"I'm going to share what World Triathlon shared to the athletes: A meeting took place on Aug. 4 at 7pm to review the lastest water quality results as response to a request from teams and athletes to provide more time to pepare for the mixed relay competition," Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps told a press conference on Monday.
"This decision (to confirm the event) was taken based on the results available yesterday which confirmed that the Seine water quality level continued to improve as well as forward-looking analysis which indicates that water quality would be within the level acceptable acceptable by World Triathlon on race day.
"The decision was ratified this morning by World Triathlon... furthermore water quality analysed by a second certified laboratory at the same four sampling points showed water quality was within the threshold established by World Triathlon."
Descamps added that the results of Monday's water quality tests would be shared with the teams and athletes "when they become available".
Britain's Georgia Taylor-Brown, who helped Britain to a very tight bronze finish just behind the U.S., said she would have liked organisers to set aside an alternate venue for the sport.
Belgium did not compete in the mixed relay after Claire Michel fell ill, with some speculation that the river was to blame, but Belgium's Olympic committee did not give any details.
"I've had good care here and I will recover. I'm mostly devastated for the team and sad to finish the Games like this," Michel wrote on Instagram on Monday.
France's Cassandre Beaugrand, who won gold in the individual event and finished fourth in the relay, said she didn't know if Michel was infected by the river.
"People can just be sick because of the (athlete's) village, it can be anything really," Beaugrand said.
"It's unfortunate for her and I hope she will be better. I mean, we swim all the time in a disgusting river so that's very unfortunate."
While some of the medallists wondered aloud if they or others would get sick, Seth Rider, from the U.S. team, was more sanguine.
"I don't really care now I've got this medal," he said. "I'll take a night in the bathroom."
($1 = 0.9147 euros)
(Reporting by Helen Reid and Mitch Phillips, additional reporting by Julien PretotEditing by Christian Radnedge)
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