NEW YORK – The New York City Marathon, which annually draws more participants than any 26.2-mile race in the world, was canceled Wednesday because of the coronavirus pandemic, with organizers and city officials deciding that holding the race on Nov. 1 would be too risky.
New York Road Runners announced the cancellation of the prestigious marathon, set to celebrate its 50th anniversary, after coordinating with the mayor’s office and deciding the race posed too many health and safety concerns for participants, volunteers, spectators and others.
“While the marathon is an iconic and beloved event in our city, I applaud New York Road Runners for putting the health and safety of both spectators and runners first,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said in the NYRR release. “We look forward to hosting the 50th running of the marathon in November of 2021.”
Last year’s marathon included a world-record 53,640 finishers. Joyciline Jepkosgei of Kenya, the women’s world record holder in the half marathon, won last year’s race in her first marathon of any sort, upsetting four-time champion Mary Keitany. Geoffrey Kamworor, also from Kenya, won the men’s event for the second time in three years.
“Cannot wait to compete in my next NYRR event, when it is safe to do so,” U.S. marathoner Emily Sisson wrote Wednesday on Twitter, adding a heart emoji.