WATCH: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo Swims in the Seine Ahead of the Paris 2024 Olympics

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has gone for a swim in the Seine on Wednesday morning.

Donning a short wetsuit and goggles, The 65-year-old Hidalgo splashed in the water and even did some proper freestyle while accompanied by other French officials like Tony Estanguet, the president of the Paris 2024 organizing committee, and regional prefect Marc Guillaume.

Enzo Gallet, a national-level open water swimmer for France, joined the trio.

While we couldn’t find any information about Hidalgo having a competitive swimming background, she appeared comfortable in the water and her swimming technique was solid.

French president Emmanuel Macron, who just won re-election after a controversial decision to call for an early election, had also vowed to swim in the Seine before the Olympics, but did not join the group.

The swim comes after recent tests of the water showed safer levels of E. coli bacteria than previously.

One of the major features of France’s $1.5 billion clean-up effort is a 50,000 cubic meter reservoir that finally operated for the first time on June 18 and 19. The water tank prevented 40,000 cubic meters of wastewater from entering the Seine. Paris 2024 organizers insist that the Seine will be safe for competition with drier weather in the forecast for July.

Current forecasts show only very light rain between now and the start of the Olympic Games. This not only means less runoff into the Seine from Paris’ sewer system, but more sunlight helps kill bacteria in the surface layers of the river.

“It was pure happiness,” Hidalgo said after her swim, which included putting her face in the water for extended periods of time. Locals, a handful of whom were able to enjoy the Seine as well, lauded the result, saying that images of growing up with a stinky Seine made them nervous ahead of their dip.

The positive news comes after Paris 2024 organizers finally unveiled a Plan B for open water events if the Seine winds up not being safe for swimming during the Games after months of insisting that there was no Plan B. More crucially, this is good news for triathlon athletes, which were offered no alternative venue, but rather a Plan B of dropping the swimming portion of the event.

The cleaning of the Seine carries significant political pressure outside of sport as well, as French officials have justified the cost as part of an effort to open up three swimming locations on the river after the Olympics.

The water quality and lack of announced planning for replacement venues had become a lightning-rod for criticism of the Olympics’ organization, which otherwise have been fairly smooth.

Videos of Hidalgo’s swim:

Over half a century after the Seine was declared biologically dead, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo dipped into the river on Wednesday and declared it sufficiently clean for Olympic swimming competitions. https://t.co/TWErDTHFdD pic.twitter.com/2s5QHWatmV

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) July 17, 2024

She did it!

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo swims in the Seine River this Wednesday 17 July, just 9 days before the Olympic Games.

She wants to prove that the river is clean and ready for the 2024 Olympics.

Would you take a swim in the Seine ?#paris2024.pic.twitter.com/NIMdqmyU9H

— Karata (@karatademada) July 17, 2024

Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo taking a swim in the Seine #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/NoGUkZFBFe

— Kim Willsher (@kimwillsher1) July 17, 2024

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has followed through on her promise to take a swim in the Seine👀 pic.twitter.com/svF73738G1

— Euronews Green (@euronewsgreen) July 17, 2024

VIDEO: 🇫🇷 Paris mayor takes pre-Olympics dip to prove Seine clean

Anne Hidalgo took a long-awaited swim in the murky waters of the Seine on Wednesday amid relief that the river is finally clean enough for outdoor Olympic swimming events which begin later this month. pic.twitter.com/UXYfSbnY8v

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 17, 2024