This year’s London Marathon, which was due to stage a showdown between the two greatest distance runners in history and attract over 43,000 participants raising millions for charity, has been rescheduled to Sunday, 4 October because of the spread of coronavirus.

Hugh Brasher, the event’s director, said he was left with little choice but to delay the race, which had been due to take place on 26 April, because of the global pandemic. “The world is in an unprecedented situation grappling with a global pandemic of Covid-19 and public health is everyone’s priority,” he said. We know how disappointing this news will be for so many – the runners who have trained for many months, the thousands of charities for which they are raising funds and the millions who watch the race every year.”

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The decision follows the postponement of the Boston marathon, another of the six prestigious world marathon majors, earlier on Friday. It is moved from 20 April to 14 September.

Last year the London marathon made a world record for a one-day annual fundraising event of £66.4m, while this April’s race was promoted as being a mouthwatering clash between the Kenyan world record holder Eliud Kipchoge and the Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, the world 5,000m and 10,000m record holder and second fastest man ever over 26.2 miles. Whether the pair will still face off in London in October appears doubtful – if the Tokyo Olympics goes ahead they are highly unlikely to race two marathons in less than two months.

Virgin Money London Marathon (@LondonMarathon) The 2020 Virgin Money London Marathon has been postponed and is now scheduled to take place on Sunday 4 October 2020.



Full statement: https://t.co/Jw0EbptGgw#LondonMarathon pic.twitter.com/r18eXLmZSH

British Athletics, which was planning to use the London marathon as a trial for Olympic places, said it planned to stage a special race in a closed location to select the team. “We can confirm that we are planning to stage a marathon trial specifically for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” a British Athletics spokesperson said. “We are looking at 25 to 27 April, and the event would be held in a closed location, with limited numbers.”

Meanwhile London marathon organisers have confirmed that every runner with a place in the 2020 race will be able to run in the rescheduled event on 4 October without further payment – or can request a refund if they prefer. Charities and sponsors with runners who cannot take part in the postponed race may substitute other runners for the rescheduled race.

“We know there will be many, many questions from runners, charities and others and we ask you to please bear with us as we work through the detailed planning process to deliver the 2020 London Marathon on its new scheduled date,” added Brasher. “We will email all runners and charities today and then update them via email by the end of next week at the latest. We will also post regular updates on our website and social media channels.”

Kipchoge wrote: “It is unfortunate news that the London marathon has been postponed but I fully respect the decision made by the organization as safeguarding the health of the world always takes our top priority.”