An annual track and field meet in Rieti, Italy, about 40 to 50 miles from the hardest-hit areas from Wednesday’s earthquake and aftershocks that have killed at least 267 people, has been canceled in order to devote resources to recovery.
The meet was due to take place Sept. 11.
The Rieti athletics meeting has been held every year since 1971, highlighted by recent men’s world records in the 100m (Asafa Powell, 2007) and the 800m (David Rudisha, 2010).
Meet director Sandro Giovannelli said €60,000 (or about $68,000) generated from the Rieti meet the last three years would be contributed toward earthquake reconstruction efforts.