Australian parkruns stop due to coronavirus pandemic

Parkrun Global - acting on advice from the World Health Organisation, national governments and medical professionals - suspended the popular walk/run events in Australia and New Zealand on Wednesday.

Warrnambool, Port Fairy, Timboon, Hamilton and Portland all host a version of the weekly five-kilometre fun run and will be impacted.

Warrnambool parkrun event director Jarrod Mast welcomed the decision from the international body.

"They make a decision for each country," he said.

"Which makes it a lot easier than putting it on the (local) events team to decide what's safe and what's not."

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Mast believes it's important people remain active despite many sports being cancelled or suspended.

"I think we all need to get out for our mental and physical health," he said.

But he said it was crucial to follow the social distancing advice.

He said Warrnambool parkrun would wait on further instruction.

"We'll get word from parkrun global when it decides it's sensible to resume," he said.

"Nobody is in a rush."

Mast said the team had already appropriately washed the Warrnambool parkrun equipment in preparation for the return of the event.

Outside parkrun, Mast is involved in a sport that may be unaffected by the coronavirus pandemic.

"From my perspective as a trail runner, I think it's the most solo-distance thing already," he said.

Australia joined a long list of countries that had already had their parkruns suspended.

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