No Olympic triathlon, no French gold, no worry - just a good day out at the judo

Gaetan Goueset and his son Nino, who watched teh judo at the Champ de Mars Arena, had the first part of their Olympic day ruined when the triathlon was called off due to the unhealthy state of the river Seine. © RFI/Paul Myers

Putting one of the martial arts at a site honouring the Roman god of war must have been a deliriously easy move back in the day for Paris Olympic organisers. Another decision – to spend 1.4 billion euros cleaning up the river Seine for the open water swimming events while banking on no rain to return the gunk to the flow – seems a step from a very altered state of mind.

The Olympic judo events carry no such contingencies. They all take place indoors at the Champs de Mars Arena and then it's unremitting strength, flexibility and patience.