New York (AFP)
The New York marathon, originally scheduled for November 1, was canceled Wednesday due to a coronavirus pandemic, announced the association New York Road Runners, which organizes the event.
It is the second time that the most popular long distance race in the world has been canceled, after the parenthesis of 2012 following the passage of Hurricane Sandy.
The canceled edition should have been exceptional, as it was the 50th New York Marathon, created in 1970.
"Canceling this year's marathon is a huge disappointment for everyone associated with it," said New York Road Runners CEO Michael Capiraso, quoted in a statement, "but that was clearly the way to go. of health security. "
New York was by far the city in the world most affected by Covid-19, which caused more than 22,000 deaths.
The organizers will offer the possibility to those registered to have their registration fees reimbursed or to postpone their participation to 2021, 2022 or 2023.
"I applaud the New York Road Runners' decision to make the health and safety of spectators and runners a priority," said New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who was quoted in the statement as saying.
Even though it is far from being the most competitive in terms of time, due to a difficult route, the New York marathon is the most popular annual long-distance race in the world.
During the 2019 edition, he broke the record for the number of participants who crossed the finish line of a marathon, with 53,640 runners.
Contacted by AFP, NYRR vice president of media, Chris Weiller, said that before the cancellation, the organization expected "more than 53,000" runners to finish this year, including about 25,000 from abroad.
The 50th New York Marathon is now scheduled for November 7, 2021.
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