Olympic marathons set to move out of Tokyo to cooler north

Amid concern about the expected searing heat in Tokyo, the IOC wants to move the 2020 Olympic marathons 800 kilometers (500 miles) north to find cooler and safer race conditions.

Runners compete in the Marathon Grand Championship, Sunday Sept. 15 2019, in Tokyo. [Photo: IC]

The International Olympic Committee detailed a new plan on Wednesday to stage the marathons and race walking events in Sapporo, the host city of the 1972 Winter Olympics, which could mean significantly lower temperatures for the athletes.

The proposal comes weeks after marathons were run around midnight in 38 degrees C (100 degrees F) at the track and field world championships in Doha, Qatar.

Forecast temperatures in Sapporo are expected to be five to six degrees centigrade cooler during the day than in Tokyo.

An Olympic panel has been assessing heat and weather issues for the July 24-August games and is consulting with sports governing bodies.