Great Britain’s world champion Beth Potter claimed bronze in the women’s triathlon behind home favourite Cassandre Beaugrand.

Potter, who won the test event around the streets of Paris last year, was one of the favourites for Olympic gold but ultimately she could not match the pace of winner Beaugrand, with Switzerland’s Julie Derron in second.

The women’s race was able to take place as scheduled after the water quality in the Seine was deemed safe for swimming, with the delayed men’s race scheduled shortly after.

Tokyo silver medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown finished sixth, with the third British athlete Kate Waugh in 15th.

Finally, the early morning organisers’ meeting on Wednesday brought good news, with the river deemed swimmable for the first time since Friday’s deluge caused elevated levels of bacteria.

There was more rain on Tuesday night but the skies cleared as the athletes dived into the water below Pont Alexandre III, the Eiffel Tower providing the spectacular backdrop that had convinced organisers to take such a big gamble.

Defending champion Flora Duffy from Bermuda, who was made a Dame in the 2022 New York Honours following her Tokyo triumph, took the lead early in the swim but Potter and Taylor-Brown made sure they stayed in touch.

Potter emerged from the water in fifth, with Taylor-Brown 10th, and a lead group of 10 formed on the bike after Duffy was reeled in on the second lap.

Great Britain’s Beth Potter (second left) during the women’s individual triathlon, along with a group of other athletes on their bikes.
Great Britain’s Beth Potter (second left) during the women’s individual triathlon (David Davies, PA)

The wet roads around central Paris caused several athletes to slip and fall but the leading contenders all stayed upright through the 40 kilometres and headed off on the 10km run.

The pace from the start was fierce and Taylor-Brown was among those unable to cling on as a lead group of four formed.

Beaugrand made her move early in the final lap and Potter could not go with her, the British athlete also losing touch with Derron and looking round often at France’s Emma Lombardi just behind her.

But Potter hung on for a medal, Britain’s third in a row in women’s triathlon at the Olympics, and was delighted with it.

She said: “I was going for gold but Cassandre (Beaugrand) and Julie (Derron) were just too good for me today. I’m super happy to come away with a bronze.

“My coach told me to stay in the top five and try to stay towards the front, and I mainly stayed out of trouble. Got caught up behind a couple of crashes on the bike, but managed to stay upright and was just trying to be sensible and not doing anything mad. Just be safe.”

On coping with the slippery course, she added: “It was obviously very wet. I live and train in Leeds, so I’m used to those conditions, and I’ve done many sessions with the boys in the wet, so I was prepared. I just didn’t want to make any silly mistakes, so I just tried to stay as safe as possible.”