The 2020 Boston Marathon was officially cancelled on Thursday.
The race, originally set for April 20, had first been postponed to Sept. 14, according to Boston Mayor Marty Walsh.
The @BAA, with our input and support, has determined that the traditional, one-day running of the 124th @BostonMarathon is not feasible this year, for public health reasons.
— Mayor Marty Walsh (@marty_walsh) May 28, 2020
“While our goal and our hope is to make progress in containing the virus and recovering our economy, this kind of event would not be responsible or realistic on September 14 or any time this year,” Walsh announced Thursday on Twitter.
“So instead, we’ll be joining and supporting the @BAA in an alternative approach to the Marathon that allows runners to participate remotely, and allows all of us to celebrate the meaning this race has for our spirit, for our charities, and for our local economy,” he added. (RELATED: Double Amputee Veteran Runs Fourth Boston Marathon Race Since Losing His Legs)
“This is a challenge, but meeting tough challenges is what the Boston Marathon is all about,” Walsh continued. “It’s a symbol of our city and Commonwealth’s resilience.”
The announcement marks the first time the Boston Marathon has ever been cancelled in its history.
Roughly 30,000 people participate in the race every year, according to a report published by the New York Times. Hundreds of thousands gather on the sidelines to cheer on the runners as well.
The city of Boston currently has 13,061 positive cases of coronavirus as of May 27, CBSN Boston reported.