World Athletics Championships Adjusts Marathon and Race Walk Start Times Amid Heat Concerns

Organizers of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo have announced that the marathons and 35km race walks will commence 30 minutes earlier than originally scheduled to counter the health risks posed by unusually high temperatures. The decision affects events slated for the first three days of the championships, including the race walks on Saturday, the women’s marathon on Sunday, and the men’s marathon on Monday.

The races, initially set to begin at 8:00 a.m., will now start at 7:30 a.m., following a joint statement from the event organizers and World Athletics. "Due to expected elevated heat conditions that could pose a health and safety risk to competing athletes, all road events on the first three days … will start 30 minutes earlier than scheduled," the statement said. The original timing was chosen to balance climate considerations, operational logistics, and spectator attendance.

World Athletics president Sebastian Coe acknowledged the challenges posed by the heat during a meeting in Tokyo, emphasizing the growing concerns linked to rising global temperatures. Unlike the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, when marathon and race walking events were relocated to the cooler city of Sapporo because of heat issues, this year the events remain in Tokyo despite temperatures reaching levels typical of mid-summer.

"The decision has been communicated to the athletes as early as possible to allow them to prepare and adjust to the new start time," organizers added. Past events, such as the 2019 World Championships in Doha, faced similar heat-related challenges, leading to marathons starting at midnight.

Highlighting the severity of the heatwave, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported that this summer was the hottest since records began in 1898, with temperatures 2.36°C above the historical average. Coe reflected on the implications of climate change for sports, stating, "These are not transient, they’re here to stay. Governments have not stepped up to the plate and sport is going to have to take some unilateral judgments and decisions here." He underscored the priority of athlete welfare in adapting to these conditions.

Notably, start times for in-stadium competitions during the first three days will remain unchanged.