Tokyo, Sep 12: The Local Organising Committee (LOC) of the World Athletics Championships 2025 has announced that all road events during the first three days of the tournament will start 30 minutes earlier than initially scheduled to combat extreme heat conditions. The adjustment prioritizes athlete health and safety.
The revised start times are as follows:
Women’s and Men’s 35km Race Walk on September 13
Women’s Marathon on September 14
Men’s Marathon on September 17
All events will now begin at 07:30 am local time (4:30 am IST). Previously, they were scheduled for 08:00 am (5:00 am IST). The decision comes amid Japan experiencing its hottest summer since 1898, with temperatures averaging 2.36°C above normal for the season.
Three Indian athletes will compete in the road events: Priyanka Goswami in the Women’s 35km Race Walk, and Ram Baboo and Sandeep Kumar in the Men’s 35km Race Walk. LOC officials, in consultation with the World Athletics Health & Science Department, communicated the change to athletes promptly to allow for proper preparation.
The 20th edition of the championships, held from September 13-21, will feature over 2,000 athletes from nearly 200 countries competing across 49 events, with 147 medals up for grabs and a total prize pool of USD 84,98,000. India’s 19-member squad will be led by Olympic and world champion Neeraj Chopra, defending his men’s javelin title.
The early start reflects the organisers’ commitment to athlete safety while maintaining the competitive integrity and excitement of the championships.