COVID-19 Coronavirus, photo by Journalist Resource
This is the update on the novel coronavirus and how it is affecting the sport of athletics…
OTHER VIRUS IMPACT
LEWA (KEN): The Lewa Safari Marathon, which was due to be held on 27 June, has been cancelled due to the coronavirus outbreak, nation.co.ke reports.
INDIANAPOLIS (USA): The 2020 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials are currently being rescheduled for next year, but a non-Olympic Trials USATF Championship could still be on the table for 2020, according to USATF’s Susan Hazzard. Writes Runnersworld. Of the possibility that USATF would hold another Olympic Trials Marathon in 2021, Hazzard said only that they are considering all options.
DESSAU (GER): German Continental Tour Bronze Meeting in Dessau planned for May 20 is now postponed to September 8, the organisers confirm. Other calendar changes in Germany include new date for Neuwied Meet planned for May 15 which will be communicated later. Regensburg Sparkassen Gala will also have new date in 2020, but the University Championships planned for Schwabisch Gmund (May 21) will be cancelled for 2020.
COPENHAGEN (DEN): The 41st edition of Copenhagen Marathon planned for May 17 is postponed until 2021. Danish marathon championships will be now part of Andersen Marathon in Odense on September 27.
NAIROBI (KEN): The decision to postpone the World Under-20 Athletics Championships which was set for Nairobi in July means Kenya will suffer huge financial loss. Barnaba Korir, the Chairman of Athletics Kenya (AK) Youth Development said the move means a big loss to the country as they have already used Sh25 million on setting up athletes camps. “We spent a lot of money putting the athletes in camps across the country to prepare for the event. We had identified top cream athletes that would have made the team,” said Korir and added that should the competition get postponed to next year, it will lock out some of the athletes. The athletes born in 2001 will be out in the 2021 edition. Informs standardmedia.co.ke.
RADENCI (SLO): Three Hearts Marathon planned for Radenci, Slovenia for May 16 is postponed for 2021, new date May 15.
VIENNA (AUT): More events postponed in Austria. The jumpin street meet 16th Golden Roof Challenge planned for June 6 in Innsbruck is switching to September 5 currently, but it is not finally confirmed. The famous Women´s Run in Vienna planned for May 17 is trying to find a new date in the fall of 2020. Salzburg Marathon planned for May 17 is cancelled for 2020.
RIETI (ITA): The organisers of Rieti U18 European Championships 2020 which were postponed welcomed the decision of European Athletics. But also said in a statement published by FIDAL they are ready for a new date.
TOKYO (JPN): Following the announcement of the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics to 2021, the athletes already named to the Japan women’s and men’s marathon teams are expected to retain their positions as national representatives at the Olympics. A day after the Olympic announcement, JAAF marathon development project leader Toshihiko Seko confirmed that the project team is thinking in that direction. Writes Japan Running News.
