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Boston Marathon Postponed to September Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

It will now take place Sept. 14.

The Boston Marathon has been suspended until September to help mitigate the spread of the novel coronavirus. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh announced in a Friday press conference that the marathon is being delayed until Sept. 14 to “protect vulnerable neighbors” amidst the coronavirus pandemic. This delay is the first in the marathon’s 124-year history, which was previously scheduled for April 20. To date, Massachusetts has reported 102 presumptive and six confirmed cases of the coronavirus—prompting Gov. Charlie Barker to declare a state of emergency on Wednesday. In addition to the marathon, Walsh has also canceled the city’s annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade. “We want to make sure we keep people safe,” Walsh said of the decision to cancel the race, which attracts 3o,000 runners from 120 countries. “Our priority right now is to make sure everyone is safe. We are concerned for the elderly people and the spread of the coronavirus.”

The 2020 Masters golf tournament, which was scheduled for April 9, was also postponed on Friday due to the outbreak. “Considering the latest information and expert analysis, we have decided at this time to postpone the Masters Tournament, the Augusta National Women’s Amateur and the Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals,” Augusta National Golf Club chairman Fred Ridley said in a statement, which did not mention a new tournament date. “As COVID-19 continues to impact the lives of people everywhere, we seek your understanding of this decision and know you share our concern given these trying times.”

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Danika FearsFormer Senior Breaking News Editor

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