The Latest on the world track and field championships (all times local):
4.36 p.m.
The track and field world championships have started in the Qatari capital Doha.
Long jumper Henry Smith of Australia was the first athlete to compete in men’s qualification at the Khalifa International Stadium. Soon after, Taymir Burnet of the Netherlands won the first preliminary heat of the men’s 100 meters.
The open-air stadium, which will be used for the 2022 World Cup, is air-conditioned. Temperatures outside hovered around 99 degrees (37 Celsius).
Later Friday, there is qualifying for events including the women’s 800, before the women’s marathon is held in at midnight on the streets of Doha.
The championships run through Oct. 6.
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2.49 p.m.
The midnight marathon is going on as scheduled at the steamy track and field world championships in Qatar.
Meet organizers notified the teams midday Friday that no changes in the schedule for the women’s race were being made, and that they would reassess the situation after nightfall.
There had been speculation that the event might be postponed because of sweltering conditions. At 2:30 p.m. local time, it was 99 degrees (37 Celsius) in Doha with a “feels like” temperature of 122 (50 C). The forecast for the midnight race through downtown Doha is 89 (31.6 C).
There are 69 women on the start list, planning to race against each other and tackle conditions they rarely face. Meet organizers will have extra medical staff on the course looking for signs of heat exhaustion.
Inside the open-roofed stadium, where air conditioning is keeping the track about 20 degrees cooler than in the city where the marathon will be run, the meet will start Friday evening with qualifying for the men’s 100 meters. Defending champion Justin Gatlin, American Christian Coleman and Canadian Andre De Grasse are among the medal contenders.