Virus threat to Olympics casts shadow over marathon trials

nation’s top distance runners carry a new concern into U.S. Olympic Team Marathon Trials. “ possibility that you make this team and n you don’t have an Olympics to go to,” Jacob Riley said.

top three men’s and women’s finishers on Saturday will earn spots on U.S. team. Ultimately, ir dreams of actually competing in Olympics this summer may rest upon new virus from China, which has spre to or parts of world, including Japan.

coronavirus was a hot topic as some of runners gared in Atlanta on Thursday.

“It’s re but I think from my perspective what I have to do is just igre it and go out and race,” said Jared Ward, who finished third in 2016 trials in Los Angeles and placed sixth in 2016 Rio Olympics.

Longtime International Olympic Committee member Dick Pound told Associated Press on Tuesday re is a window of two to three months to decide if conditions are too dangerous to hold Olympics in Tokyo. Pound said if coronavirus outbreak poses a threat too great to hold Olympics in Tokyo, games likely would be cancelled inste of postponed or moved.

Tokyo organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto on Wednesday responded to Pound’s comments by calling a news conference to say plans are being me to proceed with a safe Olympics.

“Our basic thoughts are that we will go ahe with Olympic and Paralympic Games as scheduled,” Muto said, speaking in Japanese. “For time being, situation of coronavirus infection is, mittedly, difficult to predict, but we will take measures such that we’ll have a safe Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Olympic marathon is scheduled to be std in Sapporo, a couple hours from Tokyo. event was moved to protect runners from heat in Tokyo.

Ward said trials “creates a st on its own and an Olympic feel on its own.”

“My feeling of competing in and crossing finish line in Olympic trials in 2016 was as exciting as crossing finish line in Rio later that year,” Ward said. “So I think re’s still something to race for, regardless of what happens later on down line. I’m excited to be a part of that and to embrace that opportunity.”

viral outbreak is responsible for more than 2,700 deaths and has infected more than 80,000 people globally. outbreak began in China two months ago and has spre to South Korea, Middle East and Europe. Japan itself has reported four deaths.

“I’m t like an infectious disease expert and I try to be educated,” said Scott Fauble, whose finished seventh in 2019 Boston Marathon. He was top American in field.

“I try to listen to podcasts and re articles about it, but me worrying about what coronavirus does in six months doesn’t help me on Saturday,” Fauble said.

Riley, who led U.S. runners by finishing ninth in 2019 Chicago Marathon, ted ar major event alrey was postponed. On Jan. 29,  indoor world athletics championships in Nanjing, China, were postponed until 2021 due to coronavirus.

That postponement, combined with Pound’s warning, gives cause for concern.

“It’s re in back of my mind but I’m trying t to think about it too much,” Riley said.