The London Marathon will go ahead as planned in the British capital this Sunday despite the bomb attack on the Boston race which killed three people and wounded more than 100, police and officials said yesterday.
Sports Minister Hugh Robertson said he was confident of security arrangements for the London event and encouraged people to attend as a show of solidarity with the US city.
“In security terms, we are as confident as we possibly can be that we can deliver a safe and secure marathon,” Robertson said in an interview on the BBC and Sky TV.
The 42km race in London will attract 36,000 runners, among them Britain’s double Olympic champion Mo Farah, starting at Greenwich Park and winding through city landmarks before finishing at the Mall.
London Mayor Boris Johnson told reporters while on a visit to Dubai: “Obviously what happened at the Boston Marathon on Monday was shocking and horrific and our thoughts are very much with the victims and their families.”
The Boston blasts detonated close to spectators standing behind roadside barriers. The two explosions were about 50 to 100 metres apart as runners crossed the finish line.
The incident evoked memories of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States although no one has claimed responsibility and a political motive has not yet been determined.
Robertson said the British police and military had great experience in guarding big events.
“The best way of dealing with this is to get out on the streets, is to show solidarity with the people in Boston, to celebrate a fantastic marathon and send out a very clear message to those responsible that we won’t be cowed by this kind of behaviour,” he said.
The London race was first run in 1981 and has become a centre-piece of the sporting calendar in Britain with elite athletes joined by the vast number of amateur runners who compete to raise money for charity.
Hundreds of thousands of people line the course with music and food stalls adding to the party atmosphere.
Meanwhile, in Germany, Hamburg’s annual marathon will go ahead as planned on Sunday after German police and security officials said they saw no increased risk for the event, organisers said.