Team GB’s Jessica Judd collapsed from exhaustion and was left “desperate for water” amid scorching temperatures at the Tokyo Olympics.
The 26-year-old finished 17th in the long distance final but collapsed on the floor afterwards following almost 32 minutes of continuous running.
She was checked over by medics and was lifted into a wheelchair before being helped to make her way from the track to recover.
She told Eurosport: “That is the closest I’ve come to not finished. When it gets to you, it gets to you. I was desperate for water, I’ve never been this sweaty in my life.”
Judd, from Essex, was left begging for water for several minutes before her teammate Eilish McColgan brought her a bottle.
McColgan, who finished ninth, added: “It’s definitely one of the hardest races I’ve ever run in my life. I couldn’t have done much more.
“Those girls at the front, it’s absolutely incredible they can run those times in this weather.”
The race began at 7.45pm local time and was won by Sifan Hassan, from the Netherlands.
It is not the first incident of athletes overheating in stifling conditions at the Olympic Games this year, as temperatures have soared in the Japanese capital.
Japan’s Masatora Kawano appeared to be sick on himself on Friday before collapsing in the heat during the 50km race, which began at 5.30am.
Meanwhile, some 20 per cent of the field in the 50km walk race failed to complete the race.
There were also changes made to play tennis matches later in the day during the first week of the Games after Spain's Paula Badosa suffered heatstroke and left the court in a wheelchair.
It is understood temperatures at this year’s Tokyo Olympics make it the hottest Games since records began.
