French triathlete ‘treated for heatstroke’

TOKYO: French triathlete Cassandre Beaugrand was taken to hospital with suspected heatstroke after an Olympic test event Thursday, according to Japanese news agency Kyodo, despite organisers cutting the run to 5km due to stifling heat in Tokyo.

Organisers were not able to confirm the report immediately but the high heat and humidity of the Japanese summer is becoming a major headache for Tokyo 2020 planners.

The International Triathlon Union (ITU) had already taken the decision to halve the running section of the race “in the interest of athlete safety” given the “high heat conditions”. The reported incident was the latest in a string of heat-related issues to occur during a series of test events with less than a year to go until the Tokyo 2020 opening ceremony. On Sunday, about a dozen people fell ill during a rowing test event, with one spectator showing symptoms of heatstroke as the mercury soared above 35 degrees in the Japanese capital.

On the same day, a test event for marathon swimming saw several athletes voice concerns about the water temperature.