Thursday 5 December 2019 07:15, UK
Tokyo 2020 organisers have announced that two more Olympic events, the triathlon and equestrian cross-country, have been rescheduled to earlier start times to combat the expected sweltering summer heat.
The changes were made following discussions between 2020 organisers and the International Olympic Committee, who are currently hosting their Executive Board meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland.
Tokyo temperatures in July and August, when the city will host the Games, regularly exceed 30 degrees Celsius with high humidity adding to the discomfort, and preparing for this has proved a consistent headache for organisers.
The IOC has already moved the marathon, one of the most prestigious events at any Olympics and one especially beloved in Japan, and race walk events 800km north to the cooler climate of Sapporo.
The decision angered Tokyo's local government as well as Games organisers, who had already been working on the events in the capital since being awarded the Games in 2013.
2020 Organisers said the start time for the men's and women's individual triathlons had been moved up from 7.30am (2230 GMT) to 6.30am while the mixed team relay would also begin an hour earlier at 7.30am.
At the Tokyo 2020 triathlon test event in August, the sport's governing body was forced to reduce the distance of the run segment in the women's event because of heat concerns.
The start time for the cross-country segment of the equestrian competition has also been moved to between 7.30am and 8am from 8.30 a.m.
In another setback for organisers, high levels of E.coli bacteria forced Tokyo officials to cancel the swimming segment of the Para-triathlon World Cup, a test event for next year's Paralympics.
