Japanese marathon runners to miss worlds due to COVID-19

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Two Japanese marathon runners have tested positive for COVID-19 and will miss the race at the world championships. World Athletics announced two of the country’s six athletes entered in the marathon tested positive along with the head coach and four members of the support staff. All will have to be isolated for five days. The men’s race is scheduled for Sunday and the women’s race is Monday. The federation did not say which two of the six Japanese runners entered in the marathons had tested positive. Gaku Hoshi, Yusuke Nishiyama and Kengo Suzuki are entered in the men’s race and Mao Ichiyama, Mizuki Matsuda and Hitomi Niiya are entered in the women’s.