Why Japan’s Heatwave Will Be a ‘Headache’ for Noah Lyles, Faith Kipyegon and Co as Tokyo Braces for World Championships

Athletes heading to the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo (September 13–21) are set to face searing conditions, with forecasts warning of temperatures climbing as high as 35°C during the first days of competition. 

The event comes during Japan’s hottest summer since records began in 1988, with 2025 temperatures averaging 2.36°C above normal.

World Athletics President Sebastian Coe has admitted that extreme heat will pose one of the biggest challenges for competitors. 

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“I don’t think it’s a big secret, the heat in Tokyo will be a headache for all participants,” said Coe, recalling similar conditions during the 2021 Tokyo Olympics. 

Unlike those Games, when the marathon and race walk events were relocated to Sapporo, this year’s races will remain in Tokyo.

On Saturday, September 13, the men’s and women’s 35km race walk will open the championships at 8:00 a.m. local time in an attempt to beat the worst of the heat. 

Still, forecasts suggest athletes in long-distance disciplines — including global stars such as Noah Lyles, Faith Kipyegon, and Jakob Ingebrigtsen — will battle taxing conditions throughout the week, with only the final days expected to dip to 29°C.

Some athletes have already voiced their concerns. British Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson shared an image from her training base in Japan, writing: “It’s very hot here.” 

Coaches are expected to adapt hydration strategies and pacing plans to help their athletes cope with the punishing climate.

This is not the first time elite athletes have been forced to contend with brutal conditions. At the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha, where evening temperatures often hovered around 30–32°C with high humidity, marathoners collapsed mid-race despite midnight starts. 

Organizers were forced to shorten training windows and provide extra medical stations, while middle-distance star Faith Kipyegon relied on cooling vests and ice towels between rounds to manage recovery.

During the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, heat again became a defining storyline. The men’s and women’s marathons were moved north to Sapporo, yet temperatures still rose above 27°C on race days. 

American sprint ace Noah Lyles, who went on to claim bronze in the 200m, spoke of adjusting his warm-up routine to conserve energy, emphasizing hydration and shorter pre-race drills. Jakob Ingebrigtsen, who stormed to Olympic 1500m gold, credited controlled pacing and cooling strategies for his success in those humid conditions.

These experiences suggest stars like Kipyegon, Lyles, and Ingebrigtsen will lean on similar preparations in Tokyo 2025 — from heat acclimatization camps and strategic hydration to rethinking recovery protocols.

 Yet with forecasts warning of highs up to 35°C, conditions this September could prove even more demanding, particularly for endurance runners and race walkers.

Beyond immediate competition concerns, Coe underscored sport’s responsibility in the broader climate crisis. 

“Governments have not risen to expectations, and people in sports need to make some unilateral decisions from this perspective,” he said. “We must dedicate ourselves to the well-being of athletes, so we should probably make this commitment openly.”