Paris 2024 Games: marathon swimming in the heart of Paris

On August 8 and 9, the world's elite open water swimmers will meet in the heart of Paris for a thrilling 10-kilometer race. Whether you have a ticket or not, the entertainment is guaranteed.

Paris 2024 has designed a unique course in the heart of the capital for the marathon swimming races, where twenty-four women and thirty-three men will have the honor of competing at a singularly prestigious Olympic location.

While swimmers are used to competing in the sea or lakes throughout the year, it is not common for them to swim in a river where the currents are very different, so this makes the 2024 site unique.

But this is precisely where the charm of marathon swimming lies. Beyond the physical parameters, tactics and the way competitors adapt to conditions, will play a preponderant role here. The unusual conditions change the very nature of the event, and we may see some shock results with the result decided by fingertips at the finish plate.

How will these historic events unfold?

So what lies in store? Both the women and the men will swim a total of 10km on a 1.67-kilometer loop between the pont Alexandre III and the pont de l’Alma — two locations that will be very familiar for the 206 delegations that took part in the opening ceremony on Friday.

The first leg of the event, will be easier, as swimmers will have the current on their side, but the return will be more arduous, as competitors battle against the tide. The medallists of this historic event will be decided when six full circuits have been completed.

It’s worth noting that swimming events were also held in open water at the the first Games of the modern era held in Athens in 1896, due to a lack of adequate pools at the time.

How to attend — with or without a ticket

As with road cycling, triathlon, marathon, and race walking events, marathon swimming is a free access contest — although the two grandstands (a total of 5,000 seats) at the pont Alexandre III are only accessible for ticket-holders. Spectators can cheer on their swimmers as they strive for Olympic gold free of charge from the upper and lower quays between the pont des Invalides and pont de l’Alma.

Make sure you take advantage of these unique opportunities — the marathon swimming races are among the final events of the Olympic Games, which will conclude on August 11.

• Thursday, August 8 at 7:30 am: Women's 10 kilometers
• Friday, August 9 at 7:30 am: Men's 10 kilometers

More responsible Games

In response to the climate and environmental emergency, the organisers of major international sporting events need to take their share of responsibility and transform their model. Paris 2024 is proposing a new organisational model: more sober, more responsible and with the legacy at the heart of the project. The Alexandre III bridge venue is no exception to the rule, as it's a temporary site (which also hosted the triathlon competitions), meeting two of Paris 2024's key commitments:

• avoiding the construction of new infrastructures that would have no legacy
• put sport at the heart of the city by making Parisian monuments the stage for sporting competitions.

Paris 2024 has also opted to use wood for this type of temporary infrastructure. Sustainable, low-carbon material, the wood used for these structures comes from sustainably managed French forests. The temporary structures can be hired out and reused at other events.

Finally, it should be noted that the refuelling of swimmers in the race excludes the use of plastic bottles. These are replaced by biodegradable bottles supplied by the organiser and collected by members of the organisation stationed in paddles so that no waste ends up in the Seine.