What do rising temperatures mean for the Olympics?

Dr Jessica Piasecki, Lecturer in Exercise Physiology at Nottingham Trent University, UK talks about what effect rising temperatures may have on athletes competing in this year's Olympic Games.

Transcript:
Heatwaves in Tokyo have hospitalised thousands in recent years. What do rising temperatures mean for Olympic athletes and the future of sport? I’m Jessica Piasecki, a lecturer in exercise physiology and I’ll be competing in the Tokyo Olympic marathon.

Hot temperatures at summer Olympics are nothing new, but with climate change the problem is growing. Every degree above about 11 celsius creates a slightly more difficult environment, both physically and mentally. As temperatures climb, blood vessels widen and divert blood away from muscle. That can reduce blood flow to the brain, which impacts our cognitive function, in turn causing changes in vigilance, mood, and focus, all of which essential for elite performance. At the same time changes in blood markers, like cortisol and adrenaline, affect hormonal pathways and mess with cognitive responses as well.

On the physical side, overheating compromises muscle and cardiovascular function. Again, vasodilation widens blood vessels close to the skin to help heat loss, but this takes extra energy which is already in short supply during a marathon. So when the body becomes too hot the physiological responses can’t keep up, and heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke come into play. Different sports put their own stresses on the body. But let's think about marathon runners. During a marathon, athletes can produce 30-40 times more heat than normal and lose 3-6 litres of sweat. Obviously in hot weather you sweat a lot more, but humidity is as important as air temperature because this dictates how fast that sweat evaporates and cools you down. For us running, conservative pacing from the start becomes very crucial. That’s not so easy when hot temperatures are affecting your mental poise during the biggest race of your life.

In Tokyo, heat could be a major threat to success and health. But rising global temperatures and more frequent extreme weather events are going to mean this is only just the start.

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