Despite the stark contrast between the cold weather back home and the hot conditions in Tokyo, Japan, Kenyan athletes say they are acclimatising well time for the start of the track and field schedule on Friday.
Heading into the Olympics, the notorious summer heat of the Japanese capital was one of the biggest headaches for thousands of the participants but that has done little to dampen the enthusiasm of Kenyan runners.
World 5,000m champion Hellen Obiri, who was one of 11 track and field athletes who departed for Tokyo a week ago, said their arrival one week to the start of the athletics programme has been beneficial for their adaptation.
"We had close to five days before the athletics competitions begin and I think it was a great idea to come here that early because it allows us to acclimatise. It would not have been possible if we left Kenya so close to the start of the athletics programme," Obiri said.
She will be doubling up in the 5,000m and 10,000m and says she will assess her physical levels after the first race in order to gauge her readiness for the 12-lap event.
Most Team Kenya athletes have been training back home in cold and high altitude areas, including Nairobi, which has been recording temperatures as low as 12ºC during the traditional cold season in July.
However, temperatures in Tokyo have peaked at 32.2°C with humidity levels reaching as high as 80 per cent.
Furthermore, the emergence of a tropical storm (Nerpartak), heading towards the capital, has raised concerns about participants' ability to handle the adverse weather changes.
These fears were confirmed last Friday after Russian archer Svetlana Gomboeva collapsed due to the intense heat and had to be attended to by team doctors.
Nonetheless, Olympic marathon champion Eliud Kipchoge said he is not going to change much of his training regardless of the challenges brought on by the weather.
"I don't think I will change my training; I will train as usual but you know we are competing all of us in the same weather, in the same conditions, in the same country, on the same track. I will just train the way I have been and trust all will be well," Kipchoge said while speaking to NN Running Team.
Similarly, Team Kenya captain Eunice Sum said the conditions in Tokyo are much favourable compared to Doha during the World Championships, two years ago.
"So far everything has been going on well. The weather is good, not that hot. We were at the World Championships and Doha was hotter than this," the women 800m Olympic hopeful said.
Kenya begin their quest for track medals on Friday, with the men's 3000m steeplechase heats.
