Back to Blue for Synchronized Swimming Competition Pool
Replacing the pool's water was a challenge — it holds nearly 1 million gallons
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Goodbye, green. Hello again, blue. Hope you can stick around awhile.
Synchronized swimmers were greeted by clear blue water in the competition pool Sunday after officials worked through the night to replace murky green water that's become a big embarrassment for Rio Games organizers.
Replacing the water in time for the early-morning training and competition at 11 a.m. local time was a significant challenge — the pool holds nearly 1 million gallons.
But divers were training as expected Sunday morning.
AP
China's Lin Yue, left, and Chen Aisen, right, compete in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform diving final in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 8, 2016.
AP
The water of the diving pool at left appears a murky green, in stark contrast to the pool's previous day's color and also that of the clear blue water in the second pool for water polo at the venue as divers train in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 9, 2016.
AP
A diver takes part in a training session after the water in the diving pool turned green in the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 10, 2016.
AP
China's synchronized swimming team take part in a training session at the Maria Lenk Aquatic Center at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Aug. 11, 2016.
AP
Greece's synchronized swimming duets team of Evangelia Papazoglou and Evangelia Platanioti dive into the pool in the Lenk Aquatic Center during a training session the morning after the pool went through a change in water, on Sunday, Aug. 14, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Synchronized swimming duet teams practice their routine in the pool at the Lenk Aquatic Center during a training session the morning after the pool went through a change in water, on Aug. 14, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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A picture shows the Maria Lenk Aquatics Stadium with green water in the diving pool (R) before the Synchronized swimming event at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at in Rio de Janeiro on Aug. 14, 2016.
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He Zi of China competes during the Women's Diving 3m Springboard match on Day 9 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maria Lenk Aquatics Centre on Aug. 14, 2016, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Kristian Ipsen of the United States competes in the Men's Diving 3m Springboard semi final at the Maria Lenk Aquatics Center on August 16, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Organizers have insisted there are no health risks posed by the discolored water seen in the pool during and earlier water polo competition and in a different diving pool. Still, visibility underwater is a major issue in synchronized swimming, where competitors spend lots of time underwater and need to be able to see their teammates.
