Heat forces delayed start at World Athletics

Ag AFP

DOHA: World Athletics Championships organisers delayed the start time of the events on Sunday as Doha’s heat and humidity again triggered concerns for athlete safety.

A day after dozens of exhausted runners failed to finish the women’s marathon as brutal conditions took their toll, officials said. The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) said in a statement the move had been made in “consideration of the predicted weather conditions for the scheduled start.” “The IAAF Medical Delegate analysed all available information on the likely temperatures and humidity and recommended a half-hour delay to the start to attain the best possible conditions for athletes during the race,” the statement said.

The IAAF said the forecast WetBulb Globe Temperature — a measure of the heat stress which combines temperature, humidity, wind speed and other factors — was expected to be 28 degrees Celsius (82 Fahrenheit) at the new start time.

The bulk of events in Doha are taking place inside the climate-controlled confines of the Khalifa Stadium, where a state-of-the-art air-conditioning systems maintains a comfortable temperature of around 23 degrees for athletes and spectators.