Pakistan, Sept. 11 -- Organisers of the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo have shifted the start times of the marathons and 35km race walks to 7:30 a.m. due to soaring 33 C temperatures. The change aims to protect athletes' health from the extreme heat. The women's marathon will take place on Sunday, while the men's marathon is scheduled for Monday. The energy-draining race walks will kick off the championships on Saturday morning under the revised schedule.
Officials explained that the road events had originally been set for 8:00 a.m. to balance climate conditions, operational logistics, and spectator attendance. However, unseasonably high temperatures forced them to act earlier than planned. World Athletics chief Sebastian Coe ackn...