Heat and humidity are often major factors affecting Athletics - Track and Field performance and can also be a danger to athletes` health and safety. However, while heat and humidity are known to impair endurance performance, including long-distance running and race walking events, high temperatures may positively influence performance in explosive events, such as sprint and field events. Under extreme hot and humid conditions, athletes from all Track and Field disciplines may experience a neat gain of body temperature that can lead to exertional heat illness. Heat acclimatization is a recommended strategy to improve performance in endurance events in hot and humid environments. Adjusting the duration and built-up of the warm-up together with using various cooling strategies is also suggested for endurance athletes competing in the heat. In order to reduce the risk and incidence of exertional heat illnesses and improve performance in athletics, several initiatives should be considered, including on-field assessments of the wet-bulb-globe-temperature; developing appropriate policies for avoiding hot and humid climates when awarding hosting cities with major championships; ensuring adequate event scheduling to hold the higher risk (i.e. endurance events) during the coolest part of the day; and implementing effective educational programs and high-standard medical coverage.
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