Olympics 2024 issues urgent weather warning as scorching heat causes chaos and threatens athletes

Olympic athletes are preparing for scorching heat as Paris is set for a heatwave. A warning has been issued this morning as temperatures were expected to his 35C.

A yellow alert was issued, which is the second of the four weather tiers. Athletes and attendees have been struggling with the heat, with some competitors even wearing ice vests to stay cool in the blistering heat.

Other parts of France, which are also hosting Olympic events , are experiencing soaring temperatures. "Temperatures will reach 35°C on Tuesday and the night from Tuesday to Wednesday will be very hot, with minimum temperatures around 22°C," warned Météo-France, France’s official meteorological agency.

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The heatwave began on Sunday and continues into the week. The south of France is under an orange alert, which is the third of four levels of heat warning.

"It requires special vigilance, especially for sensitive or exposed people," the agency said of the heat. It adds: "In the southwest, from northern Aquitaine to the west of Occitanie, temperatures will often reach 38 to 39°C, or even locally 40°C or slightly more. In the interior of the southeast, temperatures will also approach 38 to 40°C."

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A number of Tuesday's events are taking place outside. This includes the men's football in Bordeaux, the dressage qualification at Versailles, and the BMX freestyle qualifiers at Place de la Concorde.

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Officials said that organizers have contingency plans for each event amid the scorching temperatures. Geoff Burns, an exercise physiologist with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, told The Washington Post : "The athletes who undertook heat adaptations will be well prepared, but it’s still a challenge.

"Also, it looks to be a bit humid, which is much more difficult to compete in. Triathlon is one sport, especially the men’s on Tuesday, that might see some of the effects on the run leg.

"You might not see ice vests in the morning, but on outdoor athletes in the afternoon, I would definitely expect to see them, as well as ice on the neck and maybe head."

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