High levels of bacteria forced the swimming portion of a triathlon test event for the Tokyo Paralympics to be canceled on Saturday.
It's the second setback in the triathlon for organizers of next year's Olympic and Paralympics. A triathlon running event was shortened from 10 kilometers to 5 kilometers on Thursday because of what the International Triathlon Union called "extreme levels" of heat.
Tokyo's hot and humid summers are a worry for Olympic organizers. The water issues are a reminder of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics three years ago when high bacteria and virus levels were found in waters for sailing, rowing and open-water swimming.
The venue for a paratriathlon test event for Tokyo 2020 is seen in Tokyo, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2019. High bacteria levels forced the swimming portion of a triathlon test event for the Tokyo Paralympics to be cancelled on Saturday.(Sadayuki GotoKyodo News via AP)
In a statement, the ITU said E-Coli levels were "more than two times over the ITU limits." The ITU said the water was at Level 4, the highest risk level.
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