EXCLUSIVE: Tokyo Olympic Marathon Start to Be Moved Up

December 4, 2018

Tokyo --The organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics is planning to move up the starting time of marathon events by an hour to 6 a.m. due to concerns about the impacts of summer heat on athletes' health, according to informed sources.

The new starting time is expected to be announced as early as Wednesday after discussions with the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission.

In July this year, the starting time was moved up by 30 minutes to 7 a.m. But the Japan Medical Association and others called the decision insufficient.

In the Tokyo Games, the women's marathon is set for Aug. 2 and the men's marathon Aug. 9.

The organizing committee also plans to move up the starting time of the men's and the women's 20-kilometer race walk events from 7 a.m. to 6 a.m. and that of the men's 50-kilometer race walk event by 30 minutes from 6 a.m. Jiji Press