Birhanu Legese of Ethiopia won Sunday's Tokyo Marathon, a race that was scaled back as part of Japan's efforts to combat the spread of the coronavirus, AP reported.

The race was expected to have 38,000 participants but was limited to elite runners due to concerns over the outbreak of the virus in Japan.

It was limited to just over 200 participants.

The Tokyo marathon is one of the biggest sporting events to be affected by the coronavirus. Authorities in Japan have cancelled or postponed various other sporting events over concerns of spreading the virus.

Some spectators lined the streets of the Japanese capital but there were far fewer people watching than in past years. The government has asked people not to gather in large crowds.