MONACO — According to World Athletics, the world half-marathon championships were postponed because China was unable to host the competitions because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The event’s inability to take place in Yangzhou in November, according to the president of the governing body, Sebastian Coe, is “no fault” of Chinese local organizers. In its place, the city will host the renamed world road running championships in 2027.
The decision by the World Athletics Council to give Yangzhou another event in 2027 “indicates its faith in the organizing committee and willingness to return and stage a World Athletics Series road running event there at the first available opportunity,” said Coe.
The championships were scheduled to be renamed the world road running championships with the addition of 5-kilometer races and mass-participation events alongside the elite competitions after this year’s competition. The first of those will take place in Riga, Latvia, in 2019.
During the pandemic, China has imposed strict restrictions on foreign arrivals and wide-ranging lockdowns for any COVID-19 positives inside the nation. China cordoned off large portions of Beijing to host the Winter Olympics in February, but has frequently postponed less important international sporting events.
