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| London Marathon to include tributes to Boston bombing victims | London Marathon to include tributes to Boston bombing victims |
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| This weekend's London Marathon will feature tributes to those killed and injured at the Boston equivalent, after race organisers insisted it would go ahead in defiance of the bombers who struck in the US. | This weekend's London Marathon will feature tributes to those killed and injured at the Boston equivalent, after race organisers insisted it would go ahead in defiance of the bombers who struck in the US. |
| Marathon organisers announced that runners would observe a 30-second silence before each of the three starts. Participants will be encouraged a wear a black ribbon given to them when they pick up their race number as a show of solidarity with the victims of Monday's attack, which killed three, including an eight-year-old boy and injured 176, and injured 176. | |
| "We are determined to deliver an amazing event that will focus on one of the core pillars of the London Marathon, which is to have fun and provide some happiness and a sense of achievement in a troubled world," said the race director Hugh Brasher. | "We are determined to deliver an amazing event that will focus on one of the core pillars of the London Marathon, which is to have fun and provide some happiness and a sense of achievement in a troubled world," said the race director Hugh Brasher. |
| Organisers spent the day in meetings with the Metropolitan police as they reviewed and tightened security for the event, which will feature 37,500 runners competing alongside an elite field that includes the double Olympic gold medallist Mo Farah and elite African runners including the Kenyans Wilson Kipsang and Patrick Makau. | |
| The London Marathon chief executive Nick Bitel is believed to have received offers of help and support from around the world, as a social media campaign urged runners to cross the finish line with their hand over their hearts in a show of solidarity with those in Boston. | The London Marathon chief executive Nick Bitel is believed to have received offers of help and support from around the world, as a social media campaign urged runners to cross the finish line with their hand over their hearts in a show of solidarity with those in Boston. |
| "The support we have been offered by our stakeholders and the wider running community has been outstanding. We have the full support of the Metropolitan police, the mayor's office and other authorities," Bitel said. | "The support we have been offered by our stakeholders and the wider running community has been outstanding. We have the full support of the Metropolitan police, the mayor's office and other authorities," Bitel said. |
| Pre-registration for runners at London's ExCel centre will open as planned on Wednesday. | |
| The sports minister, Hugh Robertson, said the government was "absolutely confident" that the event could be kept safe and secure. | |
| "I think this is one of those incidents where the best way to show solidarity with Boston is to continue and send a very clear message to those responsible," he said. | "I think this is one of those incidents where the best way to show solidarity with Boston is to continue and send a very clear message to those responsible," he said. |
| While none of the elite field who competed in Boston are due to take part in London, two-thirds of the elite wheelchair field will race in both events. | While none of the elite field who competed in Boston are due to take part in London, two-thirds of the elite wheelchair field will race in both events. |
| The International Paralympic Committee said it had no indication that any of them would pull out of the London race, with its president, Sir Philip Craven, labelling the Boston bombs a "despicable, cowardly act [that] has left us all appalled, shocked and deeply saddened". | The International Paralympic Committee said it had no indication that any of them would pull out of the London race, with its president, Sir Philip Craven, labelling the Boston bombs a "despicable, cowardly act [that] has left us all appalled, shocked and deeply saddened". |
| Tricia Bunn, one of 374 British runners in Boston, is one of several participants who will run in both races. She described how she felt the ground "rumble" as the bombs exploded shortly after she had finished the race and collected her medal. | |
| "To think, the joy that people go through coming down the finish straight, turning into terror," said Bunn, 38, who will run in London alongside her husband and plans to wear her yellow Boston T-Shirt. | |
| "I think the London runners will make it a tribute to Boston and make it the best London Marathon ever. That's the best thing to do." | |
| Brendan Foster, the former athlete and Great North Run founder, predicted that the events on Monday would further catalyse support for the marathon among participants and crowds, expected to number at least 500,000. | Brendan Foster, the former athlete and Great North Run founder, predicted that the events on Monday would further catalyse support for the marathon among participants and crowds, expected to number at least 500,000. |
| "Whenever the freedom of the British public is challenged or threatened, there's only one answer. The British public will say they are not going to be stopped from doing what they want to do. They will turn out, they will run, they will volunteer to help," he said. "For me, it is a challenge to our freedom to take recreation. I think the reaction at the weekend will be unbelievable." | "Whenever the freedom of the British public is challenged or threatened, there's only one answer. The British public will say they are not going to be stopped from doing what they want to do. They will turn out, they will run, they will volunteer to help," he said. "For me, it is a challenge to our freedom to take recreation. I think the reaction at the weekend will be unbelievable." |
| The UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner said he had "no indication" that any British athletes would pull out. Farah, who will run half of the race as he targets the full marathon next year, is believed to have confirmed he will take part. | The UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner said he had "no indication" that any British athletes would pull out. Farah, who will run half of the race as he targets the full marathon next year, is believed to have confirmed he will take part. |
| "I'm very conscious of the work that London Marathon are doing around safety and security for this weekend. I have complete confidence that race organisers, police and security services will do the right thing by the race," said Warner. | "I'm very conscious of the work that London Marathon are doing around safety and security for this weekend. I have complete confidence that race organisers, police and security services will do the right thing by the race," said Warner. |
| The home secretary, Theresa May, has been briefed fully about the Boston explosions and held a meeting with the MI5 director general, Jonathan Evans, and the Met's assistant commissioner for specialist operations, Cressida Dick. | The home secretary, Theresa May, has been briefed fully about the Boston explosions and held a meeting with the MI5 director general, Jonathan Evans, and the Met's assistant commissioner for specialist operations, Cressida Dick. |
| The London mayor, Boris Johnson, called the Boston attacks "shocking, cowardly and horrific". He added: "We do have robust security measures in place for Sunday's London Marathon but, given events in Boston, it's only prudent for the police and the organisers of Sunday's race to re-examine those security arrangements." | The London mayor, Boris Johnson, called the Boston attacks "shocking, cowardly and horrific". He added: "We do have robust security measures in place for Sunday's London Marathon but, given events in Boston, it's only prudent for the police and the organisers of Sunday's race to re-examine those security arrangements." |
| The Twitter "hands on hearts" campaign was begun by Lucy McNamara, a volunteer for an organisation called SPAT that provides fitness programmes and support for homeless, at-risk and vulnerable young people. | The Twitter "hands on hearts" campaign was begun by Lucy McNamara, a volunteer for an organisation called SPAT that provides fitness programmes and support for homeless, at-risk and vulnerable young people. |
| Organisers of other marathons around the world offered help and support to Boston, but the Paris Marathon organiser Joel Laine said he feared that the explosions would alter the atmosphere in London and at other mass participation events that followed. | Organisers of other marathons around the world offered help and support to Boston, but the Paris Marathon organiser Joel Laine said he feared that the explosions would alter the atmosphere in London and at other mass participation events that followed. |
| "There will be without doubt a climate of suspicion for a good while surrounding this type of events. I am thinking notably of the London Marathon. I am thinking of the anxiety this will instil in the competitors and their families," he told AFP. | "There will be without doubt a climate of suspicion for a good while surrounding this type of events. I am thinking notably of the London Marathon. I am thinking of the anxiety this will instil in the competitors and their families," he told AFP. |