It was an afternoon of contrasting objectives in the Parisian sunshine for triathletes Judith MacCombe and Cassie Cava.
MacCombe, in the unique position of competing against her twin sister Chloe in the PTVI event, must be one of the very few people grateful that the testers once again took umbrage with the water quality in the Seine.
Oraganisers pushed out all 11 triathlon events scheduled at Pont Alexandre III.
Had they not done so, MacCombe would most likely have failed to make the start line owing to an illness picked up in camp.
With guide Eimear Nicholls by her side she kept close tabs on sister Chloe.
Seventeen seconds adrift out of the water, she halved the deficit by the bike transition, but the run, her favoured discipline, was always going to be a tall order.
"I am just so proud of Judith," Nicholls said afterwards. "Two nights ago when she was up being sick, I prayed for some miracles, and we got it when it was delayed.
"When we started the run, I knew what was going to be below capacity, so we weren't looking to gain places, we were looking to get around."
The performance spurred her sibling on, with Chloe missing out on a top-five place due to a 10-second penalty for placing equipment outside the box after getting off the bike.
"It was absolutely phenomenal to see her out there pushing hard. The sibling rivalry is a great motivator."
That family dynamic was clear for all to see when the pair were spotted after the finish line, Judith leaning into her sister and giving a playful push.
"I reminded her that if I was healthy I would have won," she offered post-race.
Judith MacCombe's perseverance was matched by Cassie Cava. While the Derry twin wasn’t sure if she would start, the 32-year-old Cava had to muster all her inner resolve after injuring her leg before the swim began.
Her event was the final one of the programme and was considered an outside medal hope.
Any faint hopes however of challenging for a medal went up in smoke when she slipped on the pontoon on her way to the start line, causing damage to her prosthetic leg.
Not hampered in the water – she was in the top half of the 13 competitors heading for the first transition – it was as soon as she placed any weight the pain was immediate.
Each lap she indicated to her coach she would not be able to continue, each lap he encouraged her to try one more.
"I got to the first aid station on the run and I was in a lot of pain. I had to get my leg off, I was in absolute agony."
With the temptation to throw in the towel almost too strong to resist, the sight of American Rachel Watts, the final competitor in the field, ignited the desire to see it out.
"She came past and I thought, 'we didn’t come here to quit’. If she can do it, I can do it."
Coming round the bend on the Avenue des Champs-Elysées, the supporters in the stand carried her across the line, the goal of avoiding a DNF in some ways as satisfying as any podium ambition.
"I’d be devastated if I didn’t finish, if I sat there on the side of the road. I’m really pleased I got up and did what I did to get to the finish."
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