AIMS CHILDREN’S SERIES STAGES FINAL EVENT OF 2015 IN SOUTH AFRICA

The final AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) Children’s Series race of 2015 was held on 15 November in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. 1,500 children from the age of 9 to 15 participated in a 5km fun run.

The Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) is an organisation of 408 of the world’s leading distance races in over 110 countries and terrirories. AIMS launched the Children’s Series in 2006 to assist selected AIMS Member races in promoting running among children in areas of need.
 
This AIMS Children’s Series race was organised by the Comrades Marathon, an AIMS Member race and ultramarathon based in KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa between the cities of Durban and Pietermaritzburg. The event was held on the same day as the Greater Edendale Race, a 10km road race organized by the Comrades Marathon as part of its Corporate Social Investment Initiative.
 
Schools had been invited to send kids to the event and the two schools with the most number of kids finishing the race each won a prize.

For many of these school kids, this was their first time participating in an event like this one and sharing in the camaraderie and excitement of a big road-running event. Each child that finished the race got a medal, t-shirt and an energy drink.
 
This was the final Children’s Series event of 2015 (following events in Featherstone, Zimbabwe and Asuncion, Paraguay). The first 2016 event is scheduled to take place in India (Khanivali, Maharashtra State, 80km from Mumbai) on 23 January 2016 with events in Zimbabwe and South Africa later in the year with specific dates to be confirmed.
 
AIMS Co-ordinator of the Children’s Series Martha Morales comments: “We are delighted that the 2015 Children’s Series events have been such a success in bringing opportunity, an avenue for expression, health, community with other children, socialisation and joy.”
 
AIMS President Paco Borao comments: “AIMS members and sponsors have a strong passion and commitment to promoting running to young people and health around the world. We would like to thank the Comrades Marathon for their assistance in organising an excellent Children’s Series event and all our other organisers that have given their time and resources to improve the lives of young people giving them joy. hope and a journey on a path in life of good health and fitness.”

About the AIMS Children’s Series

AIMS launched the concept of the Children’s Series, a series of running events targeted at young people, in 2006 to assist selected AIMS Member races in promoting running among children. Since 2006 the Children’s Series has sought to arrange three events per year with each event taking place in collaboration with an AIMS member race.

The AIMS President at the time of the creation of the Children’s Series, now AIMS President Emeritus, Hiroaki Chosa commented: “Many great athletes have often emerged against great adversity. We are seeking to encourage more young children to follow their dreams and to aim for a healthy life.” The member races involved in the first year pilot project of the AIMS Children’s Series were the Sahara Marathon in Algeria, the Kathmandu Peace Run in Nepal and the Great Ethiopian Run in Addis Ababa.

The first AIMS Children’s Series event was held on 27 February 2006 in conjunction with the Sahara Marathon in Tindouf, Algeria. The event saw 1,000 children taking part in 800m races. The second event was held in October 2006 in association with the Samsung Kathmandu 5km Peace Run.

The final event of the pilot year was in November 2006 and saw 3,000 runners take part in races organised by the 6th Toyota Great Ethiopian Run 10km. The top three runners in each category received plaques from a trio of distinguished athletes: Carolina Kluft, Sonia O’Sullivan and race patron Haile Gebrselassie.

AIMS has since gone on to host events in countries where many children grow up facing serious challenges such as Algeria, Nepal, Ethiopia, Rwanda and Mexico. A full list of host races/countries for AIMS Children’s Series races can be found below. 

The AIMS Children’s Series is very much in support and recognition of the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

In 1989, governments worldwide promised all children the same rights by adopting the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) also known as the UNCRC (UN Convention on the Rights of the Child). The Convention changed in many areas of the world the way children are viewed and treated – in other words, as human beings with a distinct set of rights instead of as passive objects of care and charity.

These rights describe what a child needs to survive, grow, and live up to their potential in the world. They apply equally to every child, no matter who they are or where they come from.

In many parts of the world through war, poverty, lack of education and other issues children don’t get the chance to be a child, to play and therefore to access their full potential. Jean Piaget, recognised by most as the world’s greatest expert on child developmental psychology once said “Play is the answer to how anything new comes about”.

AIMS would like to thank all sponsors and partners, current and past who have all significantly contributed to the ongoing success of the AIMS Children’s Series.

History of the AIMS Children’s Series

About AIMS
AIMS is a member based organisation and since being established in 1982 has grown to a membership of more than 400 of the world’s leading distance races, from over 110 countries and territories. AIMS Members come from every continent on the planet and include the Athens Marathon, The Authentic formed on the legend of Pheidippides, the Greek soldier-runner who ran from the town of Marathon to Athens in 490 BC to announce the Persians had been defeated in the ‘Battle of Marathon’. Other AIMS members include many of the world’s greatest distance races in history such as the Berlin, Boston, Chicago, New York & Tokyo Marathons. The three key objectives of AIMS are:
 

1. To foster and promote distance running throughout the world
2. To work with the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) on all matters relating to international road races.
3.  To exchange information, knowledge and expertise among members of the association

Peter McLean,
Director of Public Relations
Association of International Marathons & Distance Races

For further information on AIMS please visit:  www.aimsworldrunning.org