The 2020 Chicago Marathon has been canceled due to coronavirus concerns.
The event, the fourth-largest race by number of finishers worldwide, was set to take place Oct. 11.
“While we’d hoped to once again line 26.2 miles of our streets this October, the health and safety of everyone participating in and supporting the event is our highest priority,” organizers said in a statement Monday.
“In response to the ongoing public health concerns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, event organizers and the City of Chicago announced the decision to cancel the 2020 Bank of America Chicago Marathon and all race weekend activities," the statement continued.
The state of Illinois reported 883 new cases of coronavirus on Monday, along with six additional deaths, bringing the state to 154,799 total confirmed cases during the pandemic, with 7,193 fatalities associated with the virus.
“When we finally return to the streets of Chicago, it will be a celebratory moment and an uncompromising statement about the collective spirit of who we are as a running community: we are powerful, we are persistent and we will reach the finish line again,” race organizers said.
Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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