Olympics triathlon and marathon swimming events may have to be changed due to algae
The Serpentine has been recently found to contain a blue-green algae that has raised concerns over the hosting of two London 2012 Olympics events at the location.
The Serpentine had been selected as the site for hosting the Olympics triathlon as well as the marathon but the decision may be reversed as the algae could pose serious health hazards. It has been known to trigger rashes as well as eye irritation. Not only
that, severe cases can also experience diarrhea, vomiting as well as fever. The blue-green algae has not been found to have caused deaths in humans, however, animals such as cats and dogs have been known to die of swallowing water contaminated with it.
The contaminated lake in Hyde Park has been closed to swimmers but whether it will remain closed by the time the Olympics arrive is not certain. However, there are significant chances that the algae may reappear during the time the Olympics are underway.
The men’s as well as women’s triathlons and marathon swimming are two of the biggest events in the Olympics. The triathlon is a sporting event that forms a mix of usually three types of sports that test the athelete’s endurance. More often than not, the
sports that are included in the triathlon are running, cycling and swimming. The standard distances set in the Olympics for each of these sports are 10 km, 40 km and 1.5 km for running, cycling and swimming respectively.
On the other hand, marathon swimming, like the name suggests, involves swimming over a large distance. Because of various external factors that have an effect on the effort the swimmer has to exert, marathon swimming has no set distance. Finish times are
determined after examining factors such as tides and surface currents.
The Serpentine is also scheduled to hold the World Championships that will bring in a huge influx of spectators as well as triathletes. Various Olympics athletes are also going to take part in the championships.
With evidence of the blue-green algae found, the organizers of the Olympics have not yet disclosed whether they are considering an alternative site or not.
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