Athletes to get spray-downs to beat searing Osaka heat

OSAKA, Japan, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Athletes will be able to douse themselves in cooling water mist sprays to beat Osaka's fierce heat during the world championships.

The competition begins with the men's marathon race tomorrow and temperatures are forecast to continue hovering above the 35 degrees celsius mark for the following week.

''It's the first time these mist sprays will be in use at a world championships,'' Yasuhiro Uchiyama, chief public relations manager for Osaka's organising committee, said yesterday.

''There will be dry mist sprays in the stadium to help athletes cool down and shower mist sprays along the marathon course -- both firsts for a world championships.'' Track finals will take place in the relative cool of the evening but preliminary heats, while starting early, could prove brutal towards the end of the morning sessions.

''The finals take place when the sun's gone down and there should be some breeze for the athletes in the evening sessions,'' said Uchiyama.

''The heats begin at 0800 or 0900. The marathon starts at 0700. They'll avoid the worst of the heat and won't be running at the hottest time of day but you always worry about heat stroke.'' With humidity in Osaka around 60 per cent organisers are taking no chances and will have emergency medical teams standing by in and outside the stadium.

''We have looked carefully at scheduling to protect the athletes, particularly the long-distance runners, but we will have first-aid stations on the spot,'' Uchiyama said.

''In an emergency we can get an ambulance on to the track immediately via the marathon gate. We have given the heat issue a lot of thought and taken all the measures we can.'' REUTERS BJR KP1425