IOC wants cooler marathons in 2020

GENEVA - Amid concern about the expected searing heat in Tokyo, the International Olympic Committee wants to move the marathons at the 2020 Games 500 miles north to find cooler and safer race conditions.

The IOC detailed a new plan on Wednesday to stage the marathons and race walking events in Sapporo, host city of the 1972 Winter Olympics, which "will mean significantly lower temperatures for the athletes".

The proposal comes weeks after marathons were run around midnight in heat of 38 Celsius (100 Fahrenheit) at the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar.