Boston Marathon canceled for 1st time in 124-year history
May 28, 2020 at 2:53 p.m.
by
JIMMY GOLEN, The Associated Press
Runners head down the stretch to the finish line in the 121st Boston Marathon in Boston in this April 17, 2017, file photo. The 124th running of the Boston Marathon, which had been postponed from its traditional third Monday in April until Sept. 14, 2020, has now been canceled for 2020 entirely.
BOSTON — The Boston Marathon has been canceled for the first time in its 124-year history.
Organizers said Thursday that they instead will have a “virtual event” in which participants who verify that they ran 26.2 miles on their own will receive their finisher’s medal. The race had originally been scheduled for April 20 before being postponed for five months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“While we cannot bring the world to Boston in September, we plan to bring Boston to the world for a historic 124th Boston Marathon,” said Tom Grilk, the chief executive officer of the Boston Athletic Association.
Although the title of Boston Marathon champion is contested by a few dozen elite athletes, the field includes more than 30,000 recreational and charity runners, with as many as 1 million people lined up along the course trek from Hopkinton to Boston’s Back Bay.
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