Paris Olympics 2024: What you need to know right now

After days of suspense, the Paris Games' triathlon got underway in the French capital's scenic Seine river.

Here's what else you need to know about the Olympics on Wednesday, when a total of 18 gold medals are up for grabs:

Taking the plunge

Athletes dived into the Seine for the women's triathlon after water tests showed lower levels of bacteria, ending days of uncertainty over whether the central Paris swim was viable after heavy rains.

France's Cassandre Beaugrand won gold, delighting home fans and clinching the country's first ever Olympic medal in the individual triathlon.

The men's triathlon had been scheduled to take place on Tuesday but, after the river failed water quality tests, it was postponed to 10:45 a.m. (0845 GMT) on Wednesday.

Eighteen gold

In total, 18 gold medals are scheduled to be decided on Wednesday. Olympic champions will be crowned in artistic gymnastics, canoe slalom, BMX freestyle, diving, fencing, judo and a host of other sports.

Biles is back

Simone Biles is a different person than the one who abruptly pulled out of the Tokyo Games three years ago amid a mental health crisis, her teammates said, and it showed as she led the U.S. to the team gold medal on Tuesday.

Five golds in swimming 

Five gold medals will be on offer in swimming at La Defense Arena, including the men's 100 metres freestyle, 200 butterfly, 200 breaststroke and the women's 100 freestyle.

But all eyes will be on the women's 1,500 freestyle final where Katie Ledecky, considered the greatest female distance swimmer of all time, will look to tie the record for most Olympic medals won by an American woman with a 12th.

Djokovic and Alcaraz in tennis action  

Tennis continues at Roland Garros with Novak Djokovic and Carlos Alcaraz in men's singles third-round action.

The women's singles has reached the quarter-final stage while the doubles events also progress towards the medal rounds.

Such a perfect day

Reigning Olympic champion Carissa Moore said she was "stoked" just to be a surfer after the Games' venue in Tahiti showcased a perfect day of wave-riding to the world's biggest sports audience.

Hot-air balloon

The designer of France's Olympic cauldron said it would be an "honour" if the hugely popular attraction, which rises above Paris in a hot-air balloon at night, were to become a permanent feature of the Paris skyline, much like the Eiffel Tower did after the 1889 World Fair.

Covid

Three years after the Tokyo Olympics were held amid strict precautions and with no fans because of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the virus has forced athletes to withdraw from events at the Paris Games and has others donning masks again.

This time the impact is much more limited though, and athletes say they will carry on competing.