Professional Athletes Adapt to Extreme Heat Ahead of Paris Olympics: Training Innovations and Health Concerns Highlighted

Professional athletes are facing increased challenges due to extreme heat, a concern that is growing as climate change continues to raise global temperatures. With the Summer Olympics and Paralympic Games in Paris approaching, athletes and organizers are focusing more on how to adapt to and mitigate the effects of this heat on performance and health. Athletes like UK’s marathon runner Phil Sesman are undergoing specialized training to acclimate to higher temperatures, involving exercises in controlled environments that simulate the extreme heat expected during competitions. This preparation is crucial not only for achieving a competitive edge but also for ensuring athletes’ safety, as intense heat poses serious health risks.

• Extreme heat was a significant issue at the last Summer Olympics, affecting competitors’ performances.
• Organizers and athletes are increasingly concerned about the effects of climate change on sporting events.
• Phil Sesman, a top UK marathon runner, is preparing for his first Olympics and is training to adapt to the potential high temperatures in Paris.
• Specialized training includes running in 40°C heat to induce physiological adaptations, improving heat tolerance and reducing the risk of heat-related illnesses.
• The British Association for Sustainable Sport warns that intense heat at the Paris Games could pose a serious risk to athletes’ health, potentially leading to fatal outcomes.
• Techniques used to train for hot conditions, such as exercising in thermal layers, can benefit not just elite athletes but anyone exercising in heat, emphasizing the importance of pacing and hydration.
• Praga Mohan, an Indian national and South Asian Champion triathlete, discusses the impact of heat on training and performance, highlighting the challenges of competing in extreme conditions that can lead to fatigue, prolonged recovery, and in severe cases, be fatal.
• Mohan also shares the drastic changes and preparations athletes must undergo when competing in hotter climates, underscoring the existential threat climate change poses to sports.

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