Birhanu wins for second year running at virus-hit Tokyo marathonBirhanu Legese of Ethiopia crosses the finish line to win the men's category in the Tokyo Marathon in Tokyo on March 1, 2020. This year's Tokyo Marathon has been closed to all but elite runners due to mounting fears over the spread of the new coronavirus, which has affected dozens of sports events worldwide. TOKYO - Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia won the virus-hit Tokyo marathon reduced from a mass participation event of 38,000 runners to just elite athletes on Sunday because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Legese won his second successive Tokyo marathon in 2hr 4min 15sec with Bashir Abdi of Belgium second in 2:04.49 followed by Sisay Lemma of Ethiopia 2:04:51. The Tokyo marathon is one of the biggest sporting events to be affected by the coronavirus in Japan, with the Olympic Games opening ceremony less than five months away.

Source: Bangkok Post March 01, 2020 05:37 UTC