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LIVE UPDATE: How coronavirus is affecting the track season

We will update this story daily with news of coronavirus-related race cancellations, postponements and Athletics Canada directives

The rapid spread of coronavirus has caused numerous changes in the 2020 racing season. News of events being cancelled or postponed is breaking daily. This live blog will be updated with news of how coronavirus is affecting the running world.

RELATED: LIVE UPDATE: How coronavirus is affecting running events

What Athletics Canada has told Olympic hopefuls

Athletics Canada has told runners that they’re to keep training as normal so long as they’re healthy. However, if they’re out of the country, they’re to return immediately. Failure to comply could result in suspension of funds and Athletics Canada resources. Athletics Canada also cancelled all of their training camps for this spring.

While runners are expected to train as normal, most facilities have closed, so people are getting creative. From home gyms, to spin bikes, to shoveling tracks–runners are doing the best with the situation they’ve been given.

As of now, the Canadian Olympic Track and Field Trials are expected to continue as normal. They’re set to begin on June 25.

RELATED: What the spring racing season could look like for Olympic hopefuls

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Track meets that have been cancelled

 

World Masters Athletics Championships in Toronto (July 20 – August 1). Postponement until 2021 is being considered, but nothing has been decided yet.

World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya (July 7-12)

Harry Jerome (May 30)

Diamond League events: Qatar (April 17) and China (May 9 and 16) have all been cancelled. Shanghai has been rescheduled to August 13, and the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., (June 7) and Paris (June 13) have been postponed indefinitely.

NCAA Indoor and Outdoor Championships (March 12-14, June 10-13)

Florida Relays (March 29 – Apr 5)​

Penn Relays (April 23-25)

WPA (World Para Athletics) Grand Prix, Italy (May 22 – 24)

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Track events that Athletics Canada is monitoring

Baton Rouge (April 20 – May 3)
Desert Challenge (postponed by organizers, date TBD)
World Race Walk Cup (April 29 – May 4)
WPA Grand Prix Swiss Series (May 20 – June 2)

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