BOSTON, April 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Boston
Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today proudly announced the beginning
of a robust sponsorship agreement with global healthcare company
Abbott (NYSE: ABT) to become an Official Sponsor of the Boston
Marathon.
Abbott, devoted to developing products and technologies that
improve health and the lives of many, will join participants and
fans of the B.A.A. Boston Marathon to celebrate how people, when at
their healthiest, can do more, achieve more and experience more in
life. With nearly 30,000 participants making their final race
preparations, including more than 30 Abbott employees from around
the world, Abbott's activation is underway; the weekly Abbott Runner's Lounge on the Boston Marathon
Facebook page fosters insight and encouragement across a myriad of
topics.
"By partnering with the Abbott World Marathon Majors, and now
deepening its connection with the Boston Marathon on a local level,
Abbott has boldly underscored its mission to enhance the wellness
and fitness of marathoners and aspiring marathoners around the
world," said B.A.A. Executive Director Tom
Grilk. "Since 1887, the mission of the B.A.A. has been to
promote health and wellness in our community, especially through
running. This echoes the mission and goals of Abbott, as we align
our international brand with Abbott's global presence."
As title sponsor of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, Abbott is
encouraging sharing medical "best practices" among the six races
that make up the series. In Boston, Abbott is providing i-STAT® systems,
handheld blood analyzers that perform commonly ordered blood tests
within minutes, empowering the Boston Marathon medical staff with
information to check heart function or monitor physical exertion
and administer needed care on site.
"Marathon running represents people living fully, from the
seasoned marathon runner to the casual runner, and everyone in
between," said Elaine Leavenworth,
senior vice president, chief marketing and external affairs officer
at Abbott. "Through our partnership with the Boston Marathon, we'll
celebrate the achievement of the marathoners, who embody the idea
that good health is the starting point for everything we set out to
accomplish in life."
Now in its ninth year, and comprised of the Tokyo Marathon,
Boston Marathon with principal sponsor John
Hancock, Virgin Money London Marathon, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON, Bank of America Chicago
Marathon, TCS New York City Marathon, Olympic Marathon and IAAF
World Championships Marathon, the Abbott World Marathon Majors
determines the world's best male and female marathoners, awarding a
$1 million prize purse split evenly
by the men's and women's champions. AWMM Series IX began at the
2015 Tokyo Marathon and ends upon completion of the February 2016 Tokyo Marathon.
About the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.)
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a
non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy
lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.'s Boston
Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, and the
organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive
charity, youth, and year-round running programs. Since 1986, the
principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock
Financial. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon
Majors, along with the international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New
York City. Nearly 60,000 runners will participate in B.A.A.
events in 2015. The 119th Boston Marathon will be held on
Monday, April 20, 2015. For more
information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global healthcare company devoted to improving life
through the development of products and technologies that span the
breadth of healthcare. With a portfolio of leading, science-based
offerings in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded
generic pharmaceuticals, Abbott serves people in more than 150
countries and employs approximately 73,000 people.
Visit Abbott at www.abbott.com and on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/Abbott or connect with us on Twitter at
@AbbottGlobal and @AbbottNews.
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SOURCE Abbott