What's Hot in Paris | Rugby on the rise after U.S. wins first-ever women's medal while triathletes brave the Seine
What once was a lesser-known sport, has claimed its territory as a growing sport, potentially signaling a rise in Rugby, after Team USA won bronze in women's Rugby Sevens on Tuesday in Paris.
(NEXSTAR) — With just seconds left on the clock, the U.S. women's rugby sevens team overcame 2016 champion Australians to secure the first-ever women's Olympic medal in the sport for USA.
That's just one storyline coming out of day 4 of the Paris games which JB Biunno of Nexstar’s Tampa station, WFLA, explored alongside Olympic champion Brooke Bennett in Wednesday's live edition of What's Hot in Paris.
The livestream happens each weekday of the Olympics at 11 a.m. ET. Watch today's show in the video player above.
The director of rugby with St. Pete Rugby Club, Graham Knoop, will join the duo to discuss the potential rise in rugby after the jaw-dropping finish and bronze medal win Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Olympic triathletes dove into the Seine River on Wednesday after organizers declared the water in Paris safe for swimming following days of concerns about elevated bacteria levels caused by heavy rains last week.
The women jumped into the river near the majestic Pont Alexandre III around 8 a.m., with steady rain tapering off just as the athletes splashed into the water. Some dunked their swim goggles in the Seine before putting them on and heading into the river with the Eiffel Tower in the background. The men followed just under three hours later.
The decision to go ahead with the swim for the triathlon competitions was a big deal for the city, Olympics organizers and the athletes. Officials undertook an ambitious plan, including 1.4 billion euros ($1.5 billion) in infrastructure improvements, to clean up the long-polluted Seine. They had been steadfast in their insistence that the swimming portion of the triathlon and the marathon swimming events could safely be held in the river.
After days of uncertainty following rain on Friday and Saturday, organizers said early Wednesday that the latest tests of the water showed compliance with quality standards. They couldn’t contain their delight that their gamble of holding Olympic events in the long-toxic river was paying off.
“It’s magic,” said chief Paris Games organizer Tony Estanguet, speaking to French television. “It’s a very important legacy for Parisians to be able to swim from next year in the Seine.”
The infrastructure projects undertaken to better manage wastewater have paved the way for Paris’ ultimate goal: allowing Parisians to enjoy the waterway again after more than a century of it being off-limits, with plans to open public pools in its waters starting in 2025.
Here are a few other things to look for Wednesday at the games:
Katie Ledecky, other swimmers, go for gold
After finishing with a bronze medal in her Paris 2024 debut race, Katie Ledecky will compete in the 1500 meter freestyle at Paris La Defense arena.
Ledecky holds the world record and Olympic record in the event and if she medals two more times, she could hold the record for the most medals by a female athlete in American history.
Chris Giuliano and Alexy Jack will represent the United States in the men’s 100m freestyle final, while Josh Matheny will compete in the 200m breaststroke.
Torri Huske, who earned the gold medal in the 100m butterfly, will look for her second gold of the games in the women’s 100m freestyle. She will compete alongside Gretchen Walsh, as well as world record holder Sarah Sjoestroem of Sweden.
Men’s gymnastics team look to follow women’s performance
After the U.S. women’s gymnastics team were donned with gold medals for their performances on Tuesday, the men gear up for their chance at hardware on Wednesday.
Frederick Richard and Paul Juda, who are teammates at the University of Michigan, qualified for the finals where they will compete against gold medal favorites China and Japan.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.