by RBR AdminThe Athens Marathon will be held on November 11, 2018. The Athens marathon also hosts the AIMS event, on November 9, 2018. Naming Eliud Kipchoge and Gladys Cherono was the 2018 Marathon runners of the year will happen on November 9. Kipchoge won the Berlin Marathon in a brilliant WR of 2:01.39. Gladys Cherono won the Berlin Marathon with a World leading 2:18.11!
Eliud Kipchoge, Berlin 2018, photo by PhotoRun.net
Gladys Cherono, 2018 Berlin Marathon, rphoto by PhotoRun.net
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, Gladys Cherono, photo by PhotoRun.net
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.
