World Athletics has announced that the marathon and 35km race walk events at the Tokyo World Championships will start 30 minutes earlier than originally scheduled to mitigate the risks posed by extreme heat. Temperatures in Tokyo are expected to exceed 30°C for much of the championships, which begin Saturday.
Idman.biz, citing BBC, reports that the change affects the women’s and men’s 35km race walk on 13 September, the women’s marathon on 14 September, and the men’s marathon on 15 September, all now set to start at 07:30 local time (23:30 BST).
World Athletics emphasized that athlete safety is the top priority, with chief executive Jon Ridgeon noting that the schedule adjustment would make a “significant difference” to competitors. Ridgeon added that the start could not be moved earlier than 07:30 due to logistical challenges. Previously, during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, marathon and race walking events were relocated 800km north to Sapporo to avoid summer heat.
Despite the championships being held later in the year, Tokyo has endured its hottest summer on record, with temperatures 2.36°C above average. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe warned that athletes would inevitably face “heat challenges,” making the revised start times essential for health and safety.
Idman.biz
