All competitors at rural South African marathon to wear black ribbons for Boston

JOHANNESBURG – All 6,000 runners at a marathon in rural north eastern South Africa will be given black ribbons to wear this weekend for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings.

Organizers of the Loskop Marathon say Saturday’s race in Mpumalanga province will reflect the runners’ sympathy toward those affected by the Boston bombs, which killed three people and injured over 170.

Loskop organizer Kobus Tait says the runners will have black ribbons to show “our condolences to the athletes and spectators that were affected by this tragic incident.” Tait says everyone involved in the South African race is “deeply saddened” by Monday’s bombings.

The Loskop event has a main marathon and two shorter races held around a nature reserve and dam near the farming town of Middleburg.

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