FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Athens Marathon. The Authentic on 11th November
Eliud Kipchoge and Gladys Cherono Best Marathon Runners of the Year,
AIMS Gala in Athens on Friday
Eliud Kipchoge has been elected the Best Marathon Runner of the Year (BMR)
by the members of the Association of International Marathons and Distance
Races (AIMS) for the fourth time in a row. Fellow-Kenyan Gladys Cherono
takes the prestigious title for the first time. Gladys Cherono will be in
Athens for the presentation of the award at the annual gala on Friday
night, staged by AIMS and the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS) at the
impressive "Megaro - The Athens Concert Hall". Horst Milde, founder of the
Berlin Marathon, will also be in Athens to receive the 2018 AIMS Lifetime
Achievement Award. Former AIMS President Hiroaki Chosa, who can not travel
to Greece, has been elected for this Award as well. The winners were
announced by AIMS.
Distance running returns to its spiritual home when the 2018 AIMS Best
Marathon Runner of the Year Awards are held in Athens on Friday, November
9. The Annual AIMS Gala brings together more than 60 race directors
associated with AIMS. And they will participate in the 12th International
Marathon Symposium the next day, November 10. The focus will be on
competition the day after, Sunday, November 11 when runners in the "Athens
Marathon. The Authentic" follow the historic course of 42.195 k (26.2
miles) from the town of Marathon to the 1896 Olympic Stadium in the centre
of Athens.
Even by his extraordinary standards, it has been a remarkable 12 months for
Eliud Kipchoge who has been declared as the men's BMR Award for the fourth
consecutive year. The 2016 Olympic Marathon champion crowned the year by
breaking the world record by the biggest margin in over 50 years - 78
seconds - to run 2:01:39 in Berlin on September 16. For good measure, and
within the period from 1 October 2017 to 30 September 2018 which
constitutes the judging period - he won the London Marathon for the third
time in April. The 34 year-old Kenyan is unbeaten in all but one of his 12
marathons, having made a victorious debut at the distance to win the
Hamburg title in 2013 with 2:05:30. This tally includes his attempt at
marathon history to break two hours for the distance on Monza's Formula One
circuit in May 2017, when he ran 2:00:25. His longevity is also impressive,
having won the World 5,000m title in 2003 at the age of 18.
Gladys Cherono has earned her title as women's 2018 BMR title in fine style
with the fastest time in the world this year of 2:18:11 to win the Berlin
Marathon, her third victory in that race. This followed a fourth place in
2:24:10 in London in April. The 35 year-old made her debut at the distance
in 2015 following a short distinguished career on the track, finishing
runner-up in Dubai that January. Winning the World Half Marathon title in
2014 pointed to her potential as a marathoner while she also took a silver
medal at 10,000m in the 2013 World Championships.
Two distinguished administrators have been recognised for their
contribution to distance running in sharing the AIMS Lifetime Achievement
Award: Hiroaki Chosa of Japan, former President of AIMS from 1994 to 2010
and Horst Milde from Germany, founder of the Berlin Marathon in 1974 and
also a founding member of AIMS in 1982.
Further awards for 2018 to be presented at Friday's reception, organized by
AIMS and the Hellenic Athletics Federation (SEGAS): the AIMS Green Award
goes to the SwissCityMarathon-Lucerne while the Belgrade Marathon will
receive the AIMS Social Award.
On Saturday, November 10, race directors representing some of the world's
best distance races will participate in the 12th AIMS Marathon Symposium.
This year's theme in Athens will be: "General Data Protection (GDPR),
Implications and Impacts on Running Events."
More information is available at: www.athensauthenticmarathon.org
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