Rasovszky Claims Gold in Seine River Marathon at Paris Olympics

PARIS (AP) — Kristóf Rasovszky of Hungary triumphed in the men’s 10-kilometer marathon race, concluding the Olympic swimming events in the Seine River on Friday. In a challenging race marked by strong currents, Rasovszky led for most of the distance and outpaced Germany’s Oliver Klemet in a thrilling sprint to the finish. This victory marks a significant turnaround for Rasovszky, who previously secured a silver medal in the same event at the Tokyo Games. His compatriot, David Betlehem, took home the bronze, despite expressing concerns about competing in the historically polluted waters of the Seine. The race was a highlight for Paris organizers, showcasing the success of extensive cleanup efforts that allowed swimming in the river for the first time in over a century. The defending Olympic champion, Florian Wellbrock of Germany, struggled in the final lap, ultimately finishing in eighth place. Meanwhile, Irish swimmer Daniel Wiffen, who had previously excelled in the pool, made his open water debut but finished 18th, trailing the winner by nearly six and a half minutes. Despite the successful event, concerns about water quality persisted throughout the games, with reports of athletes falling ill and bacteria levels deemed unsafe just days prior. However, the efforts to revitalize the Seine were acknowledged, with women’s marathon winner Sharon van Rouwendaal praising the river water as “cold and refreshing.” The men’s race featured 32 swimmers, though several withdrew or did not finish the demanding competition.