DOHA — Marathon runners and race walkers at the world athletics championships in Doha have been offered pill thermometers to monitor their reaction to the severe heat, IAAF president Sebastian Coe said on Thursday. The road races will take place at midnight to alleviate the effects of the brutal conditions although the IAAF has predicted that the air temperature will still be around 30 degrees Celsius. Track and field events will take place at the Khalifa stadium which is air-conditioned and will not be affected. Coe said the road races would be closely monitored by medical staff and information would help the IAAF prepare for next year’s Tokyo Olympics where temperatures are also expected to be hot and humid. “We have given the opportunity for the athletes to ingest a tablet, it has a thermometer and can allow us to monitor the way they are dealing with heat and humidity,” Coe told a news conference.

Source: National Post September 26, 2019 19:30 UTC