Boston and London Marathons postponed
>> BOSTON: The 124th Boston Marathon and the 40th London Marathon have been postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak, organisers said on Friday.
The historic Boston race, first contested in 1897, was scheduled for April 20 but has now been moved to Sept 14, the Boston Athletic Association (BAA) announced on Friday.
It is the world’s oldest annual marathon and typically takes place on the Patriots Day holiday celebrated in Boston and the entire state of Massachusetts.
After Massachusetts governor Charlie Baker declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, Boston mayor Martin Walsh decided the race could not proceed as scheduled in April and the BAA said in a statement it “understands the city’s decision.”
“On matters of public health and safety we take our guidance from the officials entrusted with protecting the public in this area,” said association chief executive Tom Grilk. “We understand our role, along with our partners, in ensuring a safe environment for all participants, volunteers, spectators, and supporters that meets the standards set by those officials.”
Kenya’s Lawrence Cherono and Ethiopia’s Worknesh Degefa won the men’s and women’s titles respectively last year.
Meanwhile, the London Marathon has been postponed from April 26 to Oct 4. The move came on the same day that all major football matches in Britain were cancelled until at least April 4.
“The world is in an unprecedented situation grappling with a global pandemic of Covid-19 and public health is everyone’s priority,” event director Hugh Brasher said in a statement. “We know how disappointing this news will be for so many — the runners who have trained for many months, the thousands of charities for which they are raising funds and the millions who watch the race every year.”