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The big chill Weather a factor at Sydney Games
You know all about the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics. Now, welcome to the first ever Spring Games in Sydney. The 27th Olympiad will be held between September 15 and October 1, which is early spring in the Southern Hemisphere. And just as the heat played a role in Atlanta four years ago, the cold could be a factor in Sydney, especially in track and field events. Despite Australia's reputation as a warm-weather country, Sydney can get kind of chilly in September. The average temperature in Sydney's fourth-coldest month ranges from a minimum of 11 degrees Celsius (51 degrees Fahrenheit) to a maximum of 19 degrees C (67 F). Not exactly balmy, is it? Compare this to the Atlanta range (the Games were held in July) of 21 to 31 C (70 to 87 F). In Sydney, times could be much slower than predicted and athletes coming from warmer conditions could even suffer injuries. At August's Australian trials, less than a month before the Games' opening ceremony, performances were noticeably below par and several competitors, including 1996 javelin silver medalist Louise Currey, were injured. On a cool and rainy night in Sydney, Currey ruptured ligaments in her left knee, putting her hopes in jeopardy. She still plans to throw in the Games by wearing a knee brace, but would now seem to have only a remote chance of challenging for honors. Holding the Games in September in the Southern Hemisphere is the equivalent of staging a Northern Hemisphere summer Olympics in March. The Sydney spring can be slow to arrive and the best weather doesn't usually come until December. Of course, in many sports, the weather won't be a factor, and in the triathlon and marathons it will even be a bonus. But I doubt that competitors in the sprint and middle distance track events would relish the prospect of pushing their bodies to the limit in an average temperature of around 15 C (59 F). Technically, these Summer Games actually begin in winter with the Southern Hemisphere spring starting on September 22. However, in Australia, the entire months of September, October and December are considered to be spring. Also, according to weather records, there's an average of 12 rainy days in September, meaning that spring showers could make Sydney feel even cooler. With the Games in mind, authorities in Australia have brought daylight saving time forward to create extra light in the evenings and to at least create the illusion of summer. Growing up in Sydney, I have strong memories of shivering my way through the month of September when the football (Rugby and Australian Rules) finals were held. It was a time of sweaters and warm trousers and we'd never dream of heading to the beach. Summer seemed a long way off. Of course, the Sydney Olympics could be blessed by unseasonably mild weather with temperatures above 70 F (21 C), which is a little like a pleasant English summer. But competitors, coaches, officials and fans alike should at least be prepared for the possibility of a winter-like feel to these 27th Summer Games. Leave the beach gear at home and pack the warm jackets and pullovers instead. Australian-born Jason Dasey is a co-anchor for World Sport, a 30-minute international sports news and highlights program shown on CNNSI and CNN International.
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