Tokyo Marathon to close entry to public

The organisers of the Tokyo Marathon 2020 have restricted the event for elite athletes, including wheelchair racers, as a preventive measure to contain the coronavirus outbreak. “The Tokyo Marathon 2020 will be held only for marathon elites, and wheelchair elites,” the organisers said.

Of the 38,000 who were scheduled to compete on March 1, those in the “general entry” category can no longer take part because of the virus outbreak in China and its spread to other countries, which has already affected a number of other sports events, Kyodo News reported. The elite full marathon field includes 176 runners and 30 wheelchair athletes.