The science helping athletes to beat the heat

31-March-2021 Outlook - Nature

The science helping athletes to beat the heat
As global temperatures rise, athletes and sports bodies are following the science to ensure that events can take place safely.

by Sarah O’Meara

When Scottish distance runner Callum Hawkins collapsed in the 30 °C heat of Australia’s Gold Coast while leading the marathon at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, he was left on the roadside for several minutes before paramedics came to his aid.

A delay of a few minutes might seem slight, but if heat exhaustion is not treated rapidly it can have dire consequences. Just a few months later, American football player Jordan McNair died as a result of heatstroke sustained during practice at the University of Maryland in College Park. An investigation revealed that staff at the university waited more than an hour before calling an ambulance, during which time they failed to adequately cool his body.

For the full article go to: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00815-4