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After so many years of hard work and preparation, the world-class athletes who arrive for the Paris Olympics next month could face one final hurdle before they vie for medals: figuring out how to stay cool.
As a part of a publicly stated goal to make these the “greenest” Olympics ever, Paris 2024 organizers chose to forgo conventional air conditioning in the athletes’ village. Instead, an extensive system of water pipes beneath the floorboards of the dorm-style residences have been installed to provide cool air — or at least air that won’t top 79 degrees Fahrenheit, even amid a heat wave.