Road Race Start Times Moved Because Of Tokyo Heat

The marathon and 35km title locomotion events astatine nan World Athletics Championships successful Tokyo will commencement 30 minutes earlier than scheduled because of nan heat.

Temperatures successful nan Japanese superior are expected to transcend 30C for nan mostly of nan championships, which statesman connected Saturday.

The women's and men's 35km title locomotion connected 13 September, women's marathon connected 14 September, and men's marathon connected 15 September will now commencement astatine 07:30 section clip (23:30 BST).

World Athletics said it had taken nan determination to put "the highest priority" connected jock safety, successful ray of "expected elevated power conditions that could airs a wellness and information risk".

World Athletics main executive Jon Ridgeon said nan organisation's wellness and subject squad had assured him nan schedule alteration would make a "significant quality to nan athletes".

Ridgeon added it was not imaginable to move nan commencement clip immoderate earlier than 07:30 because of nan "logistical changes required".

The women's 20km title locomotion connected 20 September originates astatine 07:30, but nan men's arena connected nan aforesaid time is scheduled for 09:50.

When Tokyo hosted nan summertime Olympics successful 2021, nan marathon and title stepping events were moved 800km northbound to Sapporo because of its cooler conditions.

Despite nan World Championships taking spot later successful nan year, erstwhile temperatures are expected to beryllium little successful Tokyo, conditions person remained akin to mid-summer.

Japan has endured its hottest summertime since records began successful 1898, pinch temperatures 2.36C supra average.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe admitted earlier this week that athletes would inevitably face "heat challenges".