Coronavirus: Former NI international athlete dubs marathon postponement ‘bitter but necessary’

However, Wendy Phillips went on to add that the move is ultimately “for our own good”, given the risks posed by coronavirus.

She was speaking after the organisers of the Belfast Marathon announced today that instead of taking place on Sunday, May 3, it will be held instead on Sunday, September 20.

However, this is the same date when the Belfast half marathon was due to run – so it has now been postponed until February 28, 2021.

Miss Phillips, 63, is part of the City of Lisburn Athletics Club, manages Belfast’s Mary Peters running track, and had competed in the high jump and pentathalon for Northern Ireland in the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.

She said: “I don’t see how if you’re running a marathon you can stay two metres away from anyone.

“It’s bitterly disappointing. But this no longer is about sporting events – it’s about keeping people safe.

“I know body builders that were meant to be doing a show in three weeks. They’d been training very hard for it, and it’s cancelled.

“I think they’ve taken a very wise decision not to go with the marathon.”

In addition, Jeanette Burton of the East Antrim Harriers, said lives are now at stake, adding: “I’m glad to hear it’s put off. We were discussing about closing our own club down. I think all races should be cancelled.”

April 10 was the deadline for entries to the marathon.

It is not currently known whether a new deadline will be set.

Already 12,000 or so people have signed up to participate in all 2020 marathon events. Last year, close to 19,000 people participated.

Marathon chairman John Allen said: “Currently the world is in an unprecedented situation with the global pandemic of Covid-19 and our fundamental priority is the health of everyone.”

He said they will email competitors with updates by the end of next week at the latest, as well as posting them on the marathon website.

T-shirts, which were not going to be distributed in May, will now be distributed to competitors in September.

Organisers said participants who have registered for both the marathon and half marathon will be automatically rescheduled onto the new dates.

Anyone who does not wish to take part in the rescheduled events can defer their entry to the 2021 marathon (on Sunday May 2) or 2021 half marathon (on Sunday September 19) – but must let organisers know by April 1.

If a participant wants to give their entry slot to someone else, they can contact organisers by Monday, June 1.

To get in touch with the organisers, either email [email protected] , or call (028 )90 605933.