Open-water swim event switches to Pan Am Pool Saturday due to high E. coli levels

Athletes in the open-water swim event at the Canada Summer Games will swim indoors after E. coli levels in Birds Hill Provincial Park prompted officials to change the venue.

The five-kilometre open-water swim event will take place at Pan Am Pool, starting at 9 a.m. Saturday.

The athletes will swim 50 laps to complete the event.

Games officials say the decision was made after tests found E. coli levels at Birds Hill slightly exceeded acceptable levels. The public beach remained open Saturday.

"As a Host Society, our first priority is the safety and well-being of the athletes," Jeff Hnatiuk, president and CEO of the Host Society, said in a statement.

"Out of an abundance of caution, we made a decision along with Swimming Canada to move the 5 km Open Water Swim to Pan Am Pool under the recommendations of Manitoba Public Health and the Games' Chief Medical Officer Deborah Hill."

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Sunday, Aug. 13 is the final day of the Canada Summer Games.