In what French officials hoped to be the conclusion of a years-long nail-biter, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo plunged into the Seine on Wednesday and declared it sufficiently clean for Olympic swimming competitions.

The mayor, wearing a wet suit, splashed and treaded water for a bit, before affixing her goggles and putting her head down for some serious freestyle.

Swimming in the Seine has been banned for a century because of health concerns, primarily due to wastewater that sometimes overflows from the city's old sewage system into the Seine{ai:summary}<p>Mayor Hidalgo took a dive in the Seine to prove Olympic suitability, bringing the city one step closer to hosting the games. #sports</p>

Paris mayor swims in the Seine, declares it clean for the Olympics

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