London Marathon observes silence for Boston victims

LONDON (AFP) –

A handler works with an explosive-detecting dog on The Mall on April 20, 2013. The London Marathon got under way on Sunday after marking a 30-second period of silence to remember the victims of the Boston Marathon attacks.

The London Marathon got under way on Sunday after marking a 30-second period of silence to remember the victims of the Boston Marathon attacks.

Elite and fun-runners alike, wearing black ribbons, stood in silence at the start line before setting off at 10:00 am (0900 GMT).

The 35,000-odd runners halted their last-minute warm-up routines and stood still in the sunshine in Greenwich Park, many closing their eyes.

“Marathon running is a global sport. It unites runners and supporters on every continent, in pursuit of a common challenge and in a spirit of friendship and fellowship,” the runners were told over the public address system.

Graphic showing details and route of the London Marathon. The race got under way on Sunday after marking a 30-second period of silence to remember the victims of the Boston Marathon attacks.

“This week, the world marathon family was shocked and saddened by the events of the Boston Marathon.

“We will join together in silence to remember our friends and colleagues for whom a day of joy turned into a day of sadness.

“Let us now show our respect and support for the victims of the tragedy in Boston.”

The silence was started with a whistle and ended with huge cheers.

Race director Hugh Brasher said organisers had been in contact with Boston immediately after the bombing to offer their support.

After speaking to the police and the London boroughs that the race passes through, they decided to press on with Sunday’s race.

“A full security review has taken place and absolutely everyone was adamant that the show should go on, and it will be an amazing show,” he told BBC television.

“Part of that was ruined in Boston, and it’s up to us to put some of that back.”

The events in Boston prompted organisers of the London race to undertake a security review, but they said there was no known threat to the event.

“Obviously with the shocking pictures (from Boston), it galvanised us into having a look at our security measures,” said London Marathon chief executive Nick Bitel.

“We’ve had an amazing response from the police, from the mayor (Boris Johnson), and from the other security agencies, but also from the wider community.

“We’ve had to make a few changes and put some new security measures in, but we’ve had such an amazing response from the runners and the public.”

The marathon course snakes past famous London landmarks including Tower Bridge, St Paul’s Cathedral and the Houses of Parliament before finishing in front of Queen Elizabeth II’s Buckingham Palace residence.

Much of the attention is focused on British Olympic star Mo Farah, winner of the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres at last year’s London Games, even though he will only complete half the marathon distance.

Both the men’s and women’s races boasted star-studded fields, with defending champion Wilson Kipsang of Kenya starting as the favourite in the men’s event.

Fellow Kenyans Emmanuel Mutai, the course record-holder, Geoffrey Mutai, world record-holder Patrick Makau and three-time winner Martin Lel will provide competition, along with London 2012 Olympic champion Stephen Kiprotich of Uganda.

In the women’s race, London Olympic champion Tiki Gelana of Ethiopia led a field of four athletes who have run under two hours and 20 minutes, along with Yoko Shibui of Japan and Kenya’s Florence and Edna Kiplagat.

There was an early scare for Gelana when she fell after colliding with a men’s wheelchair athlete at a drinks station, but she picked herself up and caught up with the leading pack.

Prince Harry, third in line to the British throne, is scheduled to present medals to the leading finishers in the men’s, women’s and wheelchair races.

His office said it had not been notified of any changes to the plan following the Boston bombings.

US police on Friday captured a 19-year-old ethnic Chechen man, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, suspected of carrying out the Boston attacks with his brother, after a desperate manhunt that virtually paralysed the city and its suburbs.

Police found Tsarnaev hiding in a boat in a suburban backyard, wounded after a gun battle earlier in the day in which his brother was killed.