In this April 15, 2018 photo, more than 20,000 athletes from 32 countries and regions took part in the annual Beijing International Running Festival on Sunday, starting from Tian'anmen Square and ending at the Olympic Green. (WEI XIAOHAO / CHINA DAILY)

BEIJING - The Beijing Half Marathon, a core event of the annual Beijing International Running Festival slated for mid April will be postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, local organizers announced on Wednesday.

"In line with relevant regulations on the prevention and containment of COVID-19, we have taken a decision to postpone the Beijing International Running Festival for the sake of the people's health," the Organizing Committee said in a statement.

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"The new date for the event will be announced at later stage."

The Beijing International Running Festival was launched in 1956 and the number of participants has expanded from around 1,000 to more than 20,000.