LONDON — Race organizers said the London Marathon would go ahead Sunday despite the death of at least three people in explosions near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, but police said they would review security plans. The shocking scenes in Boston quickly prompted fears of a similar incident at the London race. “We will not be cancelling, what we are doing, we are reviewing,” London Marathon Chief Executive Nick Bitel told BBC Radio 5 Live. “You look at what has occurred, if there are steps we can take to increase security and all sorts of measures one could deploy. “We run through the city, when you have an event of any nature, a marathon, parade, it's only as safe as the city itself, if it's not held in a stadium you can't do a lockdown like you may do in a building,” he added. Thousands of people, including leading international athletes, compete in the London Marathon every year and, with the race just six days away, there was earlier speculation the event could be canceled on safety grounds. Bitel said: “It is a very sad day for athletics and for our friends and colleagues in marathon running.” Met Police Chief Superintendent Julia Pendry added: “A security plan is in place for the London Marathon. We will be reviewing our security arrangements in partnership with London Marathon.” The explosions in Boston took place after the elite race had finished. Lelisa Desisa of Ethiopa won the men's race with Rita Jeptoo winning the women's event. Paula Radcliffe, the British women's marathon world record holder, said she was “horrified to hear news of bomb explosion near Boston marathon finish. “Really hope there are no serious casualties. Situation looks awful, thoughts with everyone. There are some very sick people out there, who would do something like this?” The Boston race, the world's oldest annual Marathon, is held each year on the United States' Patriot's Day. Londoners should show their solidarity with victims of the Boston blasts during Sunday's Marathon, according to Britain's Sports Minister Hugh Roberston. It was the worst bombing on US soil since security was tightened after the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, and President Barack Obama promised to hunt down whoever was responsible for the attack on a day when tens of thousands of spectators packed the streets to watch the world-famous race. Robertson said he was confident of security arrangements for the London event and encouraged people to attend as a show of solidarity with Boston. “In security terms, we are as confident as we possibly can be that we can deliver a safe and secure marathon,” Robertson said. “We deliver major events in London, if not quite on a daily basis, on a weekly basis,” he added. “The best way of dealing with this is to get out on the streets, is to show solidarity with the people in Boston, to celebrate a fantastic marathon and send out a very clear message to those responsible that we won't be cowed by this kind of behavior.” The London race was first run in 1981 and has become a centerpiece of the sporting calendar in Britain with elite athletes being joined by the vast number of amateur runners who compete to raise money for charity. Hundreds of thousands of people line the course with music and food stalls adding to the party atmosphere. Tribute planned Participants in the Madrid marathon later this month will pay tribute to those killed and injured in Boston, the president of the Spanish race, Guillermo Jimenez said Tuesday. The Madrid event is due to take place on April 28 and Jimenez said that it would go ahead with greater security measures in place after Monday's twin bomb blasts that killed three and injured more than 100 in Boston. “We have met with those responsible for the infrastructure at local government and we will speak with a government delegation,” Jimenez told reporters Tuesday. — Agencies
