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AIMS (The Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) is proud to have supported San Luis Potosi, Mexico which hosted the final race of the 2009 AIMS Children's Series on Friday 2nd October.

The event was the first race of the Children's Series to be staged in Central America and has been hailed as an overwhelming success with over 1,200 children between 5-17 years of age taking part.

AIMS is a member based organization of more than 260 of the world's leading distance races, from over 85 countries. As a global organization fostering and promoting road running AIMS looks to encourage and promote fitness among young people of school age. AIMS recognizes that there are great differences across the world economically, culturally and socially. With this in mind, AIMS launched the Children's Series at the beginning of 2006 to assist selected member races in promoting running among children.

The most recent event in the 2009 series took place on 24 May 2009 in Kigali, Rwanda. Over 2000 children registered for the 5km run, with the race starting and finishing inside the National Stadium running concurrently with the Kigali Peace Marathon. This hugely successful event followed previous events held in the Western Sahara, Algeria in February and in Sao Paulo, Brazil in April.

AIMS supplies T-shirts and medals to all children who participate in the races. In co-operation with ASICS prizes are awarded for the top finishers in each age category split equally between boys and girls.

AIMS President Hiroaki Chosa comments: "AIMS is delighted to stage its first Children's event in the San Luis Potosi, as part of our efforts to encourage and promote the fitness and health benefits of running."

Martha Morales, AIMS Board Member, PR Manager for Mexico and Race Director of the San Luis Potosi Children's Race comments: "San Luis Potosi is a small town with people of great character and ability but it faces many social and economic challenges. We hope that by staging this event we can encourage a healthy interest in sport and fitness for a generation of young people."

AIMS would like to thank its partners MYLAPS, ASICS and local event sponsors Coca-Cola and Powerade.

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