The London Marathon race director, Hugh Brasher, has said he is “doing the opposite of a rain dance” before the rescheduled event on Sunday because he believes world records could fall on the lightning fast course if conditions permit. Brasher’s comments came after he announced that the fourth-fastest woman in the race, the emerging Ethiopian star Degitu Azimeraw, had been forced to withdraw after failing a Covid-19 test, along with the Ethiopian coach Haji Adilo. The 21-year-old Azimeraw’s loss is a blow given she ran the second-fastest debut marathon time for a woman when winning in 2:19:26 in Amsterdam last October and is seen as the next big star in women’s marathon running. However, Brasher confirmed that all the other Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes in the race on Sunday, including the world record holders Eliud Kipchoge and Brigid Kosgei, had passed their tests before arriving in a biosecure bubble outside London on Monday. “We have welcomed around 40 Kenyan and Ethiopian athletes,” Brasher said. “Every athlete is tested before they leave their country, then they are tested additionally when they get into the hotel and again on the Friday before the race. “However, one athlete and one coach were tested positive in their country and as a result they didn’t get on the plane: Degitu Azimerew and Haji Adilo, the coach of Shura Kitata and Alemu Megertu.” Because of the pandemic, the 2020 race will be run on a non-traditional course consisting of 19.6 laps around St James’s Park taking in The Mall, Horse Guards Parade, Birdcage Walk and Buckingham Palace. But Brasher insisted it was faster than the usual route and that records could fall if the weather remained dry. “Heavy rain is not ideal conditions to do a world record in. So we’re doing the opposite of a rain dance. We have some athletes in great shape, but they’ve all been training in unique conditions and we can’t control the weather. And so it is probably the most difficult marathon to predict. But I believe there will be some incredible racing that will live long in people’s memories – and it could be incredibly quick.” Brasher also confirmed he would support athletes taking a knee before the start of the race. “Black Lives Matter is enormously important. We don’t know what athletes are going to do but we will support them in whatever they want to do. That’s the power sport has to raise awareness.”