Japan heatwave will be challenge for athletes - Coe

Athletes competing at the World Championships in Tokyo will face "heat challenges", says World Athletics president Sebastian Coe.

The nine-day tournament featuring the world's biggest track and field stars begins on Saturday.

Japan has endured its hottest summer since records began in 1898, with temperatures 2.36C above average.

The opening day, which will host the 35km men's and women's race walk, is forecast to be 32C.

"I don't think it's any great secret, we do have some heat challenges in Tokyo," said Coe.

"We had them actually at the time of the Games in 2021."

However, unlike during the pandemic-delayed Games in Japan four years ago, the marathon and race walk events will remain in Tokyo.

In 2021, both events were moved to the cooler northern city of Sapporo due to heat concerns.

Both the men's and women's race walks are scheduled to start at 8:00am local time on Saturday in a bid to beat the heat.

In an Instagram post on Tuesday,, external Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson uploaded a photo from her Japanese training base with the caption: "Hot out here".

Coe says the battle against climate change has fallen on sports leaders after inaction from governments.

"Governments have not stepped up to the plate and sport is going to have to take some unilateral judgments and decisions here," added Coe.

"And we have reflected in the past, if we are committed to athlete welfare, then we should probably be openly committed to that."