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Australia's former world champion marathon runner Robert de Castella has described the conditions at Delhi Commonwealth Games as the toughest he has ever seen for marathon running. De Castella said that the combination of heat and humidity in New Delhi meant that runners would overheat. "I can't imagine how they're going to race. If it's a bad day, I reckon it could be up to 70 per cent [not finishing] ... For Aussies, it's pretty hard - we've come from winter," The Sydney Morning Herald quoted Castella, as saying. "In addition to (the heat and humidity), you've got pollution. It's so hot ... our perspiration doesn't evaporate ... so your core temperature keeps rising. It gets to a point where your body just shuts down." "The runners will be sweating profusely. They'll become dehydrated. This is the toughest [set of conditions] I've ever seen," he added. The 1983 World Championships gold medallist further hoped that the pre-Games camp in Cairns would assist the Australians. "They could be lucky and get a good day, but every day we've been here it's been pretty tough," Castella said. Australia has three men competing in the marathon - Jeff Hunt, Martin Dent and Michael Shelley - and two women in Lisa Flint and Lisa Weightman.

Delhi CWG conditions toughest ever for marathon running: Oz legend