Rowing heroes hitch lift home
Swim in Seine gets cancelled
THE marathon swimming practice session scheduled for yesterday in the River Seine was cancelled over fears of dangerous bacteria in the water.
Ireland’s gold and bronze medal winner Daniel Wiffen is due to take part in the 10k open water event, but previously confirmed he would not be involved in the practice session due to water quality concerns.
“I’ve decided that I’m not going to swim in the Seine until race day,
I don’t want to have to deal with any illness before the race,” Wiffen said.
“It’s going to be a very new thing because Daniel I’m going in blind, it’s going to be a fun one.”
Organisers did not provide a reason for the cancellation but it’s feared that bad bacteria could make competitors ill.
“After the daily situation meeting this morning between Ville de Paris, Paris 2024 and World Aquatics, it has been decided that the familiarisation session to take place today, 6 August 2024, is cancelled,” World Aquatics said in a statement.
Training sessions for the triathlon were also cancelled and the men’s race postponed because of high bacteria levels.
Paul and Fintan at airport yesterday
GOLD medal rowing duo Paul O’donovan and Fintan Mccarthy flew back into Ireland after their Paris heroics yesterday – with a plan to take the bus back down to west Cork.
The Skibbereen duo were greeted by jubilant fans after landing in Dublin Airport yesterday afternoon following a few days celebrating Friday’s victory in the lightweight double sculls.
The modest pair were all set to make the lengthy journey home via public transport until a fellow Corkman named Ciaran who had met them onboard stepped in.
The Dublin Airport X account wrote: “Private jet? Limo? How would you travel home if you’d just won Olympic gold?!
“Rowing champs Paul O’donovan & Fintan Mccarthy landed @Dublinairport today & planned to get the bus to Cork.
“Then the guy they’d sat next to on the plane offered them – & their gold medals – a lift...”
The delighted pair then pushed their luggage – and gold medals – off out to the car park to their well-deserved ride home.