REPORTING. Paris 2024: first competition and final adjustments at the Olympic swimming pool
A taste of the Paris Olympic Games. And a final dress rehearsal for the brand new Olympic aquatic center, inaugurated on April 4. Since Friday May 3 and until Sunday May 5, the second stage of the Artistic Swimming World Cup takes place in the enclosure located opposite the Stade de France. Reception of spectators, athletes and journalists, security protocol, sound system, refreshment bar… The competition is an opportunity for the organizers to test each aspect before the summer.
Visible from afar, the wooden formwork of the building guides the visitor, in the absence of signs from the surrounding transport stations. “Luckily I had my GPS, slips Emmanuelle, who came on the RER on Saturday with her two teenage daughters who have graduated from an artistic swimming club in Chambéry. On the other hand, once there, it is very well organized. We were well guided.” Another disappointment upon arrival: the famous platform built to connect the Stade de France to the Olympic aquatic center is closed, for security reasons. “We parked behind the stadium. We had to go all the way around,” sighs a couple.
In the water, the show goes off without a hitch. Swimmers from 35 nations traveled to get a preview of the Olympic equipment, which cost 174 million euros. “The whole building is nice. I like its architecture. There are lots of swimming pools everywhere, lots of space. It’s really practical”, greets Florence Blinkhorn, 17-year-old British swimmer. The Canadian Audrey Lamothe is, for her part, seduced by the omnipresence of wood, from the exterior to the ceiling with the exposed framework: “I also discovered the whole ecological aspect of this swimming pool, it’s really great.” “As soon as we arrive, we understand that this swimming pool was created for us, in the era of 2024. It’s really inspiring,” completes her teammate Jacqueline Simoneau, bronze medal in the free duet around her neck.
Free duet (F): Canadians Audrey Lamothe and Jacqueline Simoneau complete the podium
The last duo to pass, Audrey Lamothe and Jacqueline Simoneau took the third and last place on the podium. With a score of 238.28, the Canadians narrowly passed the Japanese duo, Moe Higa and Mashiro Yasunaga who obtained a score of 236.73.
“Excited and nervous at the same time”, Finnish swimmer Mari Moilala was the first to dive into the Olympic pool on Friday. “Everything is large and sophisticated. It’s very easy to see underwater, it’s ideal for showcasing our performance, especially artistic,” she rejoiced at the end of her technical solo.
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