IOC turns up the heat on big-race move

The International Olympic Committee has announced plans to move the Tokyo 2020 Marathon and walking events over 800 kilometres south of Japan’s capital city to Sapporo.

Organisers seem eager to avoid a repeat of what occurred in the recent world athletics championships in Doha, where almost half the field failed to complete the women’s marathon because of sweltering heat and humidity.

Sapporo, the host of the 1972 Winter Olympics, can be five to six degrees cooler on average than Tokyo during the Games period of mid-to-late July and early August.

IOC president Thomas Bach said: “Athletes’ health and well-being

“Health and well-being at the heart of our concerns”

are always at the heart of our concerns.

“The new far-reaching proposals to move the marathon and race walking events show how seriously we take such concerns.

“The Olympic Games are the platform where athletes can give ‘once-ina-lifetime’ performances, and these measures ensure they have the conditions to give their best.”

Double world and Paralympic champion Jonnie Peacock has withdrawn from next month’s world para athletics championships in Dubai due to a knee injury.

The 26-year-old has been struggling to overcome the problem and is focusing on returning to fitness in order to defend his Paralympic title in Tokyo next year.

Peacock said: “It’s always tough being on the sidelines but with some planned rest I hope to be back into winter training in no time.”