Athletics
HEAT-SHIELDING MATERIAL FOR TOKYO 2020 MARATHON ROUTE
BY PATRICK O’KANE
Alleviating the extreme heat concerns at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games remains a key priority for organisers according to Takeo Hirata, the Japanese Government’s coordinator for the Games.
In a blog published in the Japan Times Hirata claims the efforts to combat the summer heat in Japan have been a primary concern since Tokyo was awarded the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Buenos Aires in 2013.
Fears for the impact of extreme heat in Japan next year have been heightened by a heatwave suffocating the country in recent weeks, which has seen 57 people die and more than 18,000 admitted to hospital.
“Upon my return from Argentina, I was asked by the Prime Minister’s office to lead the National Government’s preparations for the Tokyo 2020 Games,” Hirata wrote.
“Initially, my primary concern was Tokyo’s summer heat and humidity that would impact all participants – athletes, staff and spectators.
“This challenge would call on the best of Japanese expertise, innovation and imagination to bring out the best in the athletes competing in very challenging conditions.
“It would also showcase the determination and methods of the world-famous Japanese management and production styles.”
Hirata explained he had three initial questions – how technology could mitigate heat and humidity, what information needed to be made available to foreign visitors about the summer weather and how the needs of people with disabilities could be met.
“I vividly recall meeting the director general of the road division at the land, infrastructure, transport and tourism ministry in 2013 to share my concerns about the intense summer heat and to seek new ideas to make conditions better for athletes,” Hirata wrote.
“We concurred that something had to be done; our agreement led to the development of heat-shielding material on the roads for the marathon events.”
Since then the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee have been investigating extreme heat countermeasures, with the latest efforts including roads being painted with a special coating that is expected to suppress temperature rises by as much as eight celsius.
A Tokyo 2020 cooling project has been launched which includes cool spaces at venues and spectators being allowed to take their own bottled water to events, something that has been prohibited at previous Olympic Games due to security and sponsorship concerns.
“Two years later in 2015, a portion of Aoyama-dori was paved with a special coating that reflects infrared rays,” Hirata added.
“Toshihiko Seko, a 1984 Los Angeles Olympic marathon runner, and wheelchair marathoner Nobukazu Hanaoka participated in the test on an intensely hot and humid day.
“The results showed that the temperature of the specially coated road surface was 10 percent lower than that of the uncoated surfaces and thus lightened the burden on athletes.”
The countermeasures for the Olympic and Paralympic Games have seen plans put in place to ensure trees along the marathon route do not get trimmed back, but are instead left to provide shade for spectators.
The marathon events have also been brought forward to a 6am start after temperatures were recorded at 31 Celsius at 6am in Tokyo.
Buildings along the marathon route have been requested to open their air-conditioned ground floors to spectators on event days, while the Organising Committee has produced leaflets to advise tourists of heat-induced illnesses and symptoms, and how to react if they occur.
Hirata, a professor at Waseda University Graduate School of Sports Sciences, revealed heat alerts and emergency situations have been set up for distribution by mobile phone.
“We should be prepared for new technologies to provide ongoing and perpetually updated information to visitors, to participants and to the thousands of leaders, staff and volunteers,” he wrote in the Japan Times.
“Imagine real-time monitoring of street surface temperatures via embedded sensors providing the athletic teams and the medical teams with early-warning information.
“Japanese technology will again take the world stage in creating tools for communications via phones and computers.”
Hirata claimed that an NET119 emergency call system has also been introduced to enable people with hearing and speaking disabilities to call an ambulance via touch-screen operations on smart phones and other devices.
“We will continue to promote and enhance measures to inform and remind disabled people and organisers of events about heat illness prevention and care through the distribution of printed materials,” he wrote.
“Taking simple precautions – wearing light summer clothing, drinking ample fluids and avoiding long exposure to direct sunlight – will help ensure that athletes and spectators will safely enjoy the Games.
“Our hope is that not only the organisers but citizens and residents as well will lend a hand to anyone who needs assistance.
“It is our earnest hope that our efforts will demonstrate that everyone can enjoy sports even in midsummer and thus set a precedent for the sites of future Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
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The London Marathon broke the record for the highest number of finishers in a marathon, with 59,830 participants completing the course to surpass the mark of 59,226 at last year’s New York City event.
Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record to become the first man to run the marathon in under two hours, followed by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha, who also breached the two-hour barrier on Sunday.
“To then break the record of the largest number of finishers in the history of marathons underlines the inspirational nature of the London Marathon. We are incredibly proud to have set a new Guinness World Record,” said Hugh Brasher, CEO of London Marathon Events.
In the women’s race, three women ran under two hours and 16 minutes in a single race for the first time ever, as Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa defended her title by shattering her own women ‘s-only world record
-Reuters
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Nigeria has aligned with the global athletics community in supporting World Athletics’ decision to reject 11 applications for nationality transfer to Türkiye, a move that includes sprinter Favour Ofili and signals a broader clampdown on the recruitment of foreign athletes.
Diamond League – Final – Zurich – Zurich, Switzerland – August 27, 2025 Jamaica’s Rajindra Campbell in action during the men’s shot put final REUTERS/Stefan Wermuth
The ruling, announced on Thursday by World Athletics’ Nationality Review Panel, affects athletes from multiple countries and was based on findings that the applications were part of a coordinated, government-backed effort to bolster Türkiye’s international competitiveness ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Rather than a single case, Ofili’s situation forms part of a wider group that includes five Kenyan athletes — among them former marathon world record holder Brigid Kosgei — and four Jamaicans, including Olympic medallists Roje Stona and Rajindra Campbell. Russian heptathlete Sophia Yakushina was also among those denied eligibility.
Paris 2024 Olympics – Athletics – Men’s Discus Throw Victory Ceremony – Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France – August 08, 2024. Gold medallist Roje Stona of Jamaica celebrates on the podium. REUTERS/Aleksandra Szmigie
London Marathon 2024 – Women’s Elite Press Conference – London, Britain – April 18, 2024 Kenya’s Brigid Kosgei poses for a photograph ahead of the London Marathon REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File Photo
World Athletics stated that approving the applications would undermine key principles guiding the transfer of allegiance, particularly the need to maintain the integrity and credibility of national representation in global competitions.
“The panel found that the applications formed part of a coordinated recruitment strategy… to attract overseas athletes through lucrative contracts,” the governing body said.
For Nigeria, the decision is being viewed not as an isolated intervention but as part of a wider effort to protect countries that invest in developing athletes from grassroots to elite level, only to risk losing them to wealthier nations offering financial incentives.
Officials note that the rejection highlights growing concerns about the commercialisation of national allegiance in sport, where athletes are increasingly targeted through structured programmes designed to fast-track international success.
World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has previously warned against such trends, stressing that nationality transfers must reflect genuine national ties rather than transactional arrangements.
The regulations governing athlete transfers were tightened in 2019 to prevent abuse and ensure fairness, following increasing cases of athletes switching allegiance under financially driven circumstances.
Although the applications were rejected, World Athletics clarified that the affected athletes — including Ofili — remain eligible to compete in one-day meetings, road races and club competitions, as well as live and train in Türkiye. However, they are barred from representing the country at major championships such as the Olympic Games and World Championships.
The decision is widely seen as a significant moment for global athletics, reinforcing the principle that national representation should be built on identity and development rather than financial inducement.
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A former president of the Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN), Chief Solomon Ogba, has commended World Athletics for rejecting the application by Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili to switch allegiance to Türkiye.
World Athletics, through its Nationality Review Panel, on Thursday turned down Ofili’s request to represent the European nation, citing concerns over the integrity of international competitions and the growing trend of athlete recruitment driven by financial incentives.
Reacting to the decision, Ogba described the ruling as a victory for fairness and a strong message in defence of developing nations that invest heavily in nurturing athletic talent.
“This is justice not just for Nigeria but for many developing countries that work tirelessly to groom athletes, only for them to be lured away by wealthier nations,” Ogba said.
The panel, in its report, noted that granting the transfer would undermine key principles, including safeguarding the credibility of national representation and discouraging the systematic recruitment of foreign athletes for global competitions.
Ofili’s case was one of 11 applications submitted by the Turkish Athletics Federation, which World Athletics linked to a broader government-backed strategy to strengthen its team ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Despite having obtained Turkish citizenship and signing a lucrative club contract, Ofili remains ineligible to compete for Türkiye in major competitions such as the World Championships and the Olympic Games.
Ogba singled out World Athletics President Sebastian Coe for praise, describing him as a consistent ally of developing countries.
“How can a country nurture an athlete from grassroots level to elite status, only for another nation that showed no prior interest to come with financial inducements and take them away? It is unfair and must be discouraged,” he said.
The former AFN boss also advised athletes to remain focused and avoid making career decisions driven solely by short-term financial gains. He cited global stars such as Usain Bolt, Julien Alfred, and Eliud Kipchoge, who achieved success while representing their home countries.
Ogba further warned athletes against external pressures from managers and associates, urging them to consider the long-term implications of switching nationality.
“Many athletes who left Nigeria often return after retirement seeking support. The reality is that your home country offers opportunities beyond competition — as coaches, administrators, and mentors,” he added.
He concluded by urging Nigerian athletes to remain loyal and committed, stressing that while opportunities abroad may appear attractive, long-term security and identity remain tied to their country of origin.
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