Triathlon body preferred earlier Olympic dates

The governing body of triathlon says it wanted the rescheduled Olympics to be held earlier in the year to avoid the summer heat but has accepted the new dates.

World Triathlon president Marisol Casado says "even though we would have preferred to move the games to earlier dates, where the impact of the heat was a bit lower, we agreed that these dates are the best solution."

All sports federations involved in the Olympics signed off on the new dates.

Casado says, "I am absolutely confident that we will have magnificent games in Tokyo next summer, with the help and support of all of us involved in the preparations for hosting the event."

The International Olympic Committee previously moved the marathons and race walking events to Japan's northern city of Sapporo and scheduled most of them to start early in the morning to avoid the heat in Tokyo.

 

Triathlon has remained in the capital even though it includes running.

The governing body of track and field says it supports the new dates for the Tokyo Olympics and is working with organizers in Eugene, Oregon, to move its world championships to 2022.

World Athletics says, "everyone needs to be flexible and compromise."

The 2021 track worlds were scheduled to be next year from Aug. 6-15.

World Athletics says it will consult with the organizers of the Commonwealth Games and the European Athletics Championships. Those are other major track events scheduled to take place in 2022.