Amélie Oudéa-Castera: the Minister of Sports gets ahead of Anne Hidalgo and swims in the Seine (ZAPTV)

This Saturday, July 13, 2024, around 7:30 a.m., Amélie Oudéa-Castera went swimming in the Seine with Paralympic champion Alexis Hanquinquant. Via BFMTV cameras, viewers were able to watch the minister slide before diving into the Parisian river.

Swimming in the Seine, quite a story! From Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11, 2024, Paris will host the Summer Olympic Games. An event that is inevitably expected by many, but feared by others! Among the discussions and concerns, the health status of the Seine. Confident, Anne Hidalgo suggested swimming there, as a guarantee of the good quality of the river. While the mayor of Paris was due to dive on June 23, Bad weather forced it to be cancelled.

After several postponements, Anne Hidalgo has made her decision. She is proposing “to swimmers licensed by one of the sports federations including open water swimming to join her on Wednesday July 17th”, announced the Open Swim Stars, reported by The Parisian. And to witness this dive, you must not be late! The mayor of Paris has thus given her guests an appointment at 8:45 a.m. A first verdict a few days before the long-awaited opening ceremony of the Olympic Games.

A morning swim

By wanting to push back too much, we get our place stolen! This Saturday, July 13, 2024, around 7:30 a.m., Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera went swimming in the Seine! As evidenced by the cameras of BFMTVthe three-time French tennis champion was accompanied for the occasion by the paratriathlete Alexis Hanquinquant, five-time world champion. The latter was notably chosen to be the flag bearer of the Paralympic delegation. On reaching the river bank, the Minister of Sports slipped for a few seconds, before diving into the water.

Joined by Alexis Hanquinquant, Amélie Oudéa-Castera then shared a few breaststrokes and other movements. A few minutes later, the Minister of Sports was delighted with this moment. “What a joy, it’s just great! Promise kept and commitment kept. It was a bet, we did it”, she explained, before giving some details on the state of the Seine. “It is soft and good at 20 degrees”, she added. Enough to give confidence to the next athletes who will take the plunge for the Olympic Games? Next swim, Anne Hidalgo’s… if there is no postponement!