The Xiamen Marathon received the 2019 AIMS Green Award at Megaron Athens Concert Hall at a special gala event on Friday evening by the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) for its excellence in environmental practice.

Founded in 2003, the Xiamen Marathon has been rated as an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Gold Label Event for 12 straight years.

The race aimed to create the first 'zero pollution' marathon event in China by organizing volunteers to collect litter from the course of the marathon and categorize it for recycling. In 2019 the race recycled 16 tons of plastic bottles and paper cups and cleaned up six tons of plastic from the course.

Since 2015, the marathon has donated over 130,000 saplings to be planted, creating the "Xiamen Forest of Love" in cooperation with the project Million Forest run by China Green Foundation.

"All our Members can look to their example for inspiration in how to host a sustainable event," Paco Borao, president of the AIMS, commented.

Ahead of the 37th Athens Marathon, approximately 60,000 runners will participate in the 42km classic route and parallel shorter distances.