Chelsea Gubecka becomes first Aussie athlete for Paris Olympics

Australian open water swimmer Chelsea Gubecka becomes the first Aussie athlete for the Paris 2024 Olympics squad.

Chelsea will compete in the 10km marathon swim in Paris after finishing third at the World Championships of Australia.

She expressed her excitement saying it doesn’t feel real at all. To be the first athlete selected is such an honor. The 25-year-old young swimmer will compete in the marathon swim in the River Seine for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Open-water swimmer @chelsea_gubecka is the first athlete named for Australia's Paris 2024 squad.

Gubecka will return for a second year on Australia's Olympic team after winning the 10-kilometre World Championship silver in July this year.

"It doesn't feel real at all. To be the… pic.twitter.com/dCYq4LWUwm
— 10 News First (@10NewsFirst) October 26, 2023

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Chelsea won a solo silver medal and a team bronze medal at the world championships in Fukuoka earlier this year. It was the performance that earned her an automatic qualifying spot for Paris. She was the first athlete confirmed on Australia’s Olympic team and will compete in the 10km open water event at the Games.

Why Swimming Tests Events of Olympic Games 2024 canceled?

Organizers of the Paris swimming events had to cancel the test event for the Olympic Games 2024 due to poor water quality. They canceled swimming test events for the World Triathlon Para Cup in the month of August 2023 over water quality concerns.

The swimming stage of the World Triathlon Para Cup — seen as a test event for the 2024 Summer Games — was cancelled on Saturday due to poor water quality. Athletes had taken part in swimming events in the Seine on the previous two days.https://t.co/XE8KVvBqqr
— Dawn.com (@dawn_com) August 24, 2023

Chelsea Gubecka becomes the first Aussie athlete for the Paris Olympics

Heavy rain caused the water quality of the Seine River to dip below minimum health standards. It made the sewerage system of Paris overflow into the Seine River. It left Chelsea and other swimmers unable to compete.

Although event organizers at Seine River have now decided to launch the Open Water Swimming World Cup 2024. Paris is working on clean-up efforts to make the Seine swimmable again.

Chelsea says that she doesn’t have too much concern and she knows the mayor and the town are really trying their hardest. She added they are really considering their options. And they are going to try to make sure we swimmers have the best experience possible.