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 Athletics Federation of Nigeria (AFN) has officially set the ball rolling for the selection of Team Nigeria’s athletics contingent to the 2026 Commonwealth Games, announcing June 20 to 22 as the dates for the national trials in Lagos.
The three-day championship, scheduled for the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) Sports Complex, will serve as the sole selection event for athletes seeking to represent Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.
In a statement released by the federation, the AFN emphasised that participation in the trials is compulsory for all athletes aspiring to make Team Nigeria, making the competition a critical stage in the country’s preparations for the Games.
The event is expected to attract the nation’s leading track and field stars, alongside a new generation of emerging talents eager to secure a place on the national team.
A total of 32 events for men and women will be contested during the championships, offering athletes opportunities to demonstrate their readiness for international competition.
However, the federation announced that participation in the men’s and women’s 100 metres, 200 metres and 400 metres events will be limited to athletes who have attained the prescribed qualifying standards. All other track and field events will remain open to eligible competitors.
According to the AFN, the arrangement is designed to ensure that only athletes who have demonstrated the required level of performance compete in the sprint events while maintaining broad participation across other disciplines.
Athletes are expected to arrive in Lagos on June 19, with departures scheduled for June 23.
To support athletes in their quest for qualification, the federation announced that accommodation will be provided to competitors who have achieved the stipulated qualifying marks during the qualification period. The list of eligible athletes is expected to be published in the coming days.
The trials are expected to produce intense competition as athletes battle for limited places on Team Nigeria. With the country traditionally regarded as one of Africa’s leading athletics nations, selection is likely to be fiercely contested across several events.
AFN President, Chief Tonobok Okowa, described the trials as a major milestone in Nigeria’s build-up to Glasgow 2026 and called on athletics enthusiasts and stakeholders to support the athletes throughout the championship.
Okowa expressed confidence that the event would help identify the country’s strongest athletes and provide selectors with the best possible team for the Commonwealth Games.
He also commended the leadership of the National Sports Commission for its continued support of the federation, noting that the backing has strengthened efforts to develop athletics and enhance elite athletes’ performance.
With the countdown to the Commonwealth Games gathering momentum, attention will now shift to Lagos, where athletes will compete for the opportunity to wear Nigeria’s green-and-white colours on one of the biggest stages in international sport.
For hopefuls targeting Glasgow 2026, the message from the AFN is clear: the journey to the Commonwealth Games begins at the YABATECH Sports Complex this month.
The Akwa Ibom State Government’s sustained investment in sports development under Governor Umo Eno is beginning to produce significant results, with athletes from the state returning from the African Senior Athletics Championship in Ghana with medals and qualifications for future international competitions.
This was disclosed on Monday by the Akwa Ibom State Commissioner for Sports, Paul Bassey, during a reception held at his office for athletes from the state who represented Nigeria at the continental championship staged in Ghana from May 10 to 17.
The athletes delivered impressive performances for Team Nigeria, winning gold medals in relay events and reinforcing the growing reputation of Akwa Ibom as one of the country’s emerging hubs for athletics excellence.
Speaking during the reception, Bassey praised the athletes for making both the state and Nigeria proud, attributing their achievements to the deliberate sports development policies introduced by Governor Eno’s administration.
According to him, the establishment of a stand-alone Ministry of Sports by the governor reflects the administration’s determination to give sports-focused attention and create opportunities for athletes to thrive at both national and international levels.
“Akwa Ibom is proud of you. You did not just qualify to represent the country; you went there and won gold medals,” Bassey said.
“Sports have always thrived in the state, but the renewed intentionality of His Excellency inspires us greatly. That is why he established a stand-alone Ministry of Sports to ensure focused attention on the sector. We sincerely appreciate his unwavering support.”
The commissioner assured the athletes and their coaches that the government would continue to honour and support them despite the political activities leading up to next year’s elections.
He added that the administration remains committed to projecting Akwa Ibom athletes to greater heights on the global sporting stage.
Head Coach of the state Athletics Association, Dan Umoette, also commended the state government and the Ministry of Sports for their consistent support, saying the encouragement has motivated athletes to pursue excellence and podium finishes.
Umoette revealed that three Akwa Ibom athletes were part of the Nigerian relay quartet that won gold in the 4×400 metres event at the championship.
One of the athletes, Comfort James, Nigeria’s women’s 800 metres record holder, described the government’s public backing as a major morale booster.
“We have not enjoyed opportunities like this before, where the entire government and the Ministry of Sports openly support us,” she said.
“It has boosted our morale and helped us stand out. We hope to do even more in future competitions because we know we are not limited.”
Among the Akwa Ibom athletes who represented Nigeria at the championship were Esther Okon and Jacinta Lawrence, who won gold in the women’s 4×400 metres relay final.
Ezekiel Eno Asuquo and Victor Sampson also claimed gold medals in the mixed 4×400 metres relay event.
Other members of the contingent included Comfort James in the women’s 800 metres and Clergy Edet in the women’s high jump competition.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Sports present at the reception included Permanent Secretary Mrs Rosemary Ubia, Director of Sports Mrs Brigid Otton, Director of Organising Mrs Margaret Ekpo, and Director of Coaching and Technical Unit Mrs Kate Ekuta.
Also present were coaches Kenti Christopher and Janet Ba.
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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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