Sognevan (Netavisyn): A potential heat wave could hit Paris this summer, during the Olympic Games in early July and August. This means that athletes and support staff already have to prepare for the scorching weeks.
According to the site InsideTheGames A study showed that the city is at a “substantial” risk of a heatwave during this period. This is exactly what they painfully realize at the Olympiatopen.
– We know that it affects performance very significantly, in a negative sense, especially for endurance sports that are competed outdoors and over a long period of time. There we have a plan for how to cope with the heat, says Head of Performance and Development, Hann Staff, to Nettavisen.
It is prepared in a room designated for this purpose
She says they are preparing for the heatwave and have good experience with the system they want to use before the Olympics. It involves exercising in the heat at a moderate intensity for at least an hour daily. This is done one to two weeks before the tournament.
Fourteen days is perfect. Many sports where this applies, such as cycling, rowing and running, recognize this. They are also exposed to heat in competitions in hot climates. But more people want to go to altitude before the tournament and it is cooler there. Then you also have to think about getting enough heat exposure.
Endurance athletes who have to get used to the temperatures include, among others, Jakob Ingebrigtsen, Christian Blumenfelt and Narvi Gilge Nordas. The games have not yet been selected, but the three contestants are expected to be part of the team.
Ingebrigtsen has shown multiple times that he has handled the heat well in the past. Then during tournaments in Tokyo, Eugene and Budapest.
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At the Olympic Summit in Oslo, they prepared themselves to face the challenges that may come. There they have a warming room that ensures athletes train at the temperatures that can await them in Paris. There are many who benefit from it in the introduction.
– There you can set exactly the humidity and temperature you want. You usually have about 33 degrees. Then you come there and do the training session there, either on a bike, treadmill or rowing machine, explains Staff.
It may be dangerous
Some athletes find the heat more difficult than others, and it's important to have a plan for how to deal with that, Olympiatopen says. By training in high temperatures beforehand, they will be less anxious when they reach the all-important tournament.
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Staff say the guidance is provided by experts and that the Norwegian team's medical equipment is also close to pre-prepared.
– Another factor, in addition to performance, is that it is dangerous to suffer from heat stroke. There are health reasons here too, so it is very important that we take this seriously.
The Olympic team has not yet been selected, but Norway is traveling with about a hundred athletes. There are various dates throughout the spring and summer when pull-ups for sports and exercises will be held on an ongoing basis.
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