Boston Marathon cancelled for 2020 because of coronavirus pandemic

Lawrence Cherono won the men's Boston Marathon title in 2019

The Boston Marathon has been cancelled for the first time in its 124-year history because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

The race had initially been postponed from 20 April to 14 September.

However, Boston mayor Marty Walsh said the race could not be held in 2019 because of public health fears.

"There's no way to hold the usual race format without bringing large numbers of people into close proximity," Walsh said on Thursday.

The event is the longest-running major annual marathon in the world, having been held every year since 1897.

Kenya's Lawrence Cherono and Worknesh Degefa of Ethiopia won the men and women's races in 2019.