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Paco Borao

President

Race Director: Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Marathon, Spain

 Half Marathon Valencia Trinidad Alfonso Zurich, Spain

Email: borao@correcaminos.org

Paco Borao is President of Correcaminos de Valencia, which organises the Marathon and Half Marathon in Valencia, both of which are AIMS members – the Marathon being such since 1986. Paco Borao grew up in Spain and France, where he played football and is fluent in both languages, and also in English. He became a member of the Board of AIMS in 1996 and took on membership issues at the start of a period of sustained growth in the organisation which saw membership increase from 115 to 304 members. In March 2007 he was appointed as a member of the IAAF Road Running Commission and, just a few days later at the Xiamen World Congress, was elected Vice-President of AIMS. He became President at the 18th World Congress of AIMS held in Athens on 30 October 2010, then re-elected at 19th and 20th World Congresses in Durban, South Africa in 2014 and Tallinn, Estonia in 2018.

Martha Morales

Vice President

Race Official: BMW Tangamanga International Marathon, Mexico

Email: maratontangamanga@gmail.com

Martha Morales, of BMW Tangamanga Marathon in Mexico, is an active marathon runner and a lawyer. She studied for a Masters Degree in Constitutional Law at Universities in Mexico and the USA. Martha has been an advisor for several national and international road races and has been involved in different road races from 10km to the Marathon both as a runner and an organiser. She is a consultant on sports events and health platforms at national and international level and has been a speaker at various Congresses and Symposia in Mexico, USA and South America. She is an IAAF/AIMS “C” course measurer and is fluent in English and Spanish. She was elected Vice-President of AIMS at the 18th World Congress held in Athens on 30 October 2010 and has been a Board member since 2006.

Hugh Jones

AIMS Secretary

Race Director: Tata Consultancy Services World 10K Bengaluru, India

 Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon, India

 Tata Steel Kolkata 25k, India

 Tata Mumbai Marathon, India

Email: aimssec@aol.com

Hugh Jones succeeded Andy Galloway as AIMS Secretary on 1 July 1996, after a career as a marathon runner (from 1981) and freelance athletics journalist (from 1987). He was born in London in 1955, and ascribed his later success as a runner partly to running to and from school (1200m, four times daily) for most of the 1960s. In the 1970s he ran casually at secondary school and then at the University of Liverpool. In 1978 he ran and won his first marathon (2:25). In 1981 he won the English Championships with a time of 2:14, which propelled him into a professional running career. His first major win was the 1982 London Marathon with a time of 2:09:24, which coincided with the foundation of AIMS. He competed in city marathons and championships in the 1980s (World Chs 8th & 5th) but his failure to complete the 1990 London Marathon led him to diversify more seriously into athletics journalism. He also qualified as an international course measurer which helped to make him an obvious candidate to succeed Andy Galloway as AIMS Secretary in 1996. Jones continued as both a runner and a journalist but the AIMS job grew with increasing membership of the Association and in practical terms became full-time. He became editor of Distance Running in 2000, served as a member of the IAAF Road Running Commission from 2006-2015, and co-authored the IAAF-AIMS joint publications ‘The Measurement of Road Race Courses’ and the ‘Road Running Manual’.

Al Boka

Treasurer

Email: aimstreasurer@aol.com

Al Boka became a committed runner while attending the University of Nevada - Las Vegas. He has run 37 marathons with his personal best of 2:45.05 at the age of 43; just three years after beginning running. Al had spent 22 years in the United States Air Force with more than half of that while living in France, England, Greece, Spain and Thailand. His travels honed his deep interest in worldly matters which became apparent after he began directorship of the Las Vegas Marathon in 1980. As the event grew and as a result of his own running in large international events he began focusing on attracting international participant to Las Vegas. Within 10 years he had grown the foreign attendance from zero to over 1,000. In 1992 the Las Vegas Marathon became an AIMS member. In 1996 he was nominated for the position of AIMS Treasurer by the outgoing AIMS Treasurer, Andy Galloway, and was duly elected. Since then he has developed procedures and policies which define and control AIMS finances. These controls over spending have greatly contributed towards AIMS’ growth from 120 to 470+ members.

Rachid Ben Meziane

Board Member

Race Director: 10km International de Marrakech, Morocco

 Agadir Green Marathon, Morocco

 Abu Dhabi “Yes I Can” 10km International, United Arab Emirates

Email: info@2cras.com

Born in Morocco and resident in the Netherlands for more than 30 years Rachid Ben-Meziane is the founder and CEO of four international running businesses: 2 Cras sport marketing & management, RBM Sports Company, Running Sport and Events, Maroc Timing. Head offices are in Netherlands, with representations in Morocco, Spain and United Arab Emirates. From 2003 up to now he has been the elite athlete manager for 50 races including the 1st International Casablanca Half Marathon against terrorism, Marrakech, Agadir, Valencia, Athens, Santiago and Abu Dhabi. Starting from 2004 he helped develop the first road race in Libya open to both men and women as well as a race in Bejaia, Algeria, in 2010 and several more in Morocco in 2013 including Agadir, Marrakech, Laâyoune and Dakhla. All these became full members of AIMS. He was co-opted to the AIMS Board in 2017 and became its representative for Maghreb and Middle Eastern countries, helping to establish events in Sharjah and Abu Dhabi, UAE. He completed marathons in New York (2000), Monaco (1997) and Brabant, Netherlands (1991) and is fluent in Arabic, French, English and Dutch.

Renna Nelis

Board Member

Race: Swedbank Tallinn Marathon, Relay Marathon, Half, 10K & 5K, Estonia

Email: renna@tallinnmarathon.ee

Renna Nelis is the general secretary of Sport Event Team NPO (SET) which organises the biggest mass sports events in Estonia including the Tallinn Marathon. Renna studied Sport Management in Tartu University (Estonia). Since 2000 SET has organised over 400 different sporting events including marathons and other long distance runs, triathlons, ski marathons, cycling events and athletics competitions. SET has been the largest sport events organiser in Estonia for the last ten years. Sport is Renna’s job, hobby and passion. She has run 17 marathons and has completed an Ironman event. She represented Estonia as a torchbearer at the 2012 Olympic Games in London and has been awarded with a special award from European Athletics in 2018 for the contribution to the development of mass sports in Estonia. Renna with her team organised the 22nd AIMS World Congress held in Tallinn in September 2018.

Rut Jiroajvanichakorn

Board Member

Race Director: Bangsaen21, Thailand

Email: rut@mice.co.th

Rut Jiroajvanichakorn is the founder and race director of Bangsaen21, the first half marathon in Thailand to receive the IAAF Bronze Label. The race has now become a World Athletics Platinum Label event in 2023. He has also organised the BANGSAEN42 Chonburi Marathon and Bangsaen10, both of which are leading events in Thailand with global standards. With these three events, Bangsaen became the first city in Asia to host three World Athletics’ road race label running events. Rut is also a co-founder of the Thai Mass Participation Sport Association (TMPSA), which aims to share knowledge and develop the management of running events throughout Thailand and ASEAN. He has been elected president of TMPSA since its establishment. As a runner himself, Rut enjoys traveling to different parts of the world to participate in marathons. He sees marathon running as a way to learn and immerse himself in the experience and culture of the places he visits. Rut's goal is to make marathon running a popular and enjoyable sport for people around the world, with a focus on providing a memorable and fulfilling experience for all participants.

Mike Nishi

Board Member

Race: Bank of America Chicago Marathon, United States of America

Email: mike.nishi@cemevent.com

Michael Nishi is the Executive Vice President for Chicago Event Management. Nishi oversees the production of all events with a particular focus in event operations and emergency response logistics. Since 1990, Nishi has partnered with Carey Pinkowski as General Manager and Executive Race Director of the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, respectively. With his extensive operational knowledge, Nishi was integral in guiding a local road race of 6,000 runners to a world-class event that saw over 45,000 marathon finishers in 2019. In addition to his work on the Chicago Marathon, Nishi is a driving force in increasing the exchange of ideas and best practices among events of all size and scope. Recognizing the unique issues of the endurance sports industry, Nishi founded the Race Management Program ten years ago to offer event organizers an intimate forum to share ideas with one another. As an active leader in the running industry, he continues to advocate for greater safety and security not only for Chicago Event Management clients but also for events around the world. An avid runner and cyclist, Nishi sits on the board of Girls on the Run Chicago and is a committee member at City Garden Pre-School in Chicago’s Pilsen neighborhood. He and his wife Dona, and their two daughters, live in Chicago where they are active community members in their Little Italy neighborhood.

Brano Koniar

Board Member

Race Director: Košice Peace Marathon, Slovakia

Email: info@kosicemarathon.com

After finishing his studies at Košice Technical University, he worked in engineering organization and later founded the marketing agency Progress Promotion. Brano has been associated with the Košice Marathon, which was founded in 1924, since 1991. A year later, he became its race director and to this day participates in its management and development. He himself completed 18 marathons, including those in New York, Boston, London, Paris and Athens. During his career he also participated in the organization of other important sport events such as the 1997 IAAF World Half Marathon Championships, Academic World Orienteering Championships, Ice Hockey World Championships, WAKO Kickboxing World Championships or ISDE International Six Day Enduro in 2015. He is the author and co-author of several book publications and articles dedicated to the Košice Peace Marathon. For his contribution to the development of the oldest marathon in Europe and other long-term activities, he has been awarded several times, most recently in 2023 with a Medal of the President of the Slovak Republic.

Akira Takeuchi

Board Member

Race: Osaka Marathon, Japan

Email: a-takeuchi@oaaa.jp

Has been involved in the Osaka Marathon, which started in 2011 with a scale of 30,000 people, for several years, and has supported the marathon from behind the scenes, such as setting the course and creating a manual for the operation of the race. In 2022, he also worked hard to merge with the elite marathon, Lake Biwa Mainichi Marathon, and after exchanging opinions with the organizers of both marathons many times, he succeeded in unifying the marathons. In 2013, he also became the executive director of the Osaka Athletics , and has devoted himself to the development of athletics in Osaka, as well as attracting many national-level competitions in Japan, contributing to the development of athletics in Japan. Since 2007, he has been qualified to instruct the operation of Japanese athletics events for 15 years, and has traveled around the prefectures to instruct so that large-scale competitions can be operated smoothly. Received the Chichibunomiya Order of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations in 2007. 2022 Osaka Citizen Award Winner.

Rajesh Vetcha

Board Member

Race: NMDC Hyderabad Marathon powered by IDFC FIRST Bank, India

Email: founder@hyderabadrunners.com

Rajesh Vetcha is the founder of Hyderabad Runners, one of the largest running groups in India in 2007. He was the President from 2010 to 2018 during which it became the first group in India to institutionalise running community into an organization with three key focus areas of Advocacy, Training and Events to help people lead active lifestyles. Currently the Race Director of NMDC Hyderabad Marathon, the second largest marathon in India and a World Athletics Basic Label Event. Rajesh has also been instrumental in establishing and mentoring running groups across the country and also marathon events in India, a few of which include Chennai, Kochi, Bangalore, Coimbatore, Bhopal and Visakhapatnam. As an avid runner, he has been running marathons since 2005 having participated in close to 165 events which include marathon, half and a few ultra marathons across the world. He uses these runs to connect with members of the running fraternity and also explore people and places through running. Rajesh’s goal is to help people lead active lifestyles and make running the most preferred form of fitness activity for society. Rajesh started his career as a journalist and is a highly accomplished professional with nearly three decades of experience across various sectors including Corporate, Infrastructure, Banking and Sports. Known for his leadership in Public-Private Partnerships, Regulatory Affairs, and Stakeholder Engagement, Rajesh has consistently demonstrated his ability to bring together government and private stakeholders to create lasting impact. Apart from professional commitments, he is currently pursuing a Ph.D. at NALSAR University, Hyderabad, focusing on regulatory frameworks, specifically in aviation, furthering his understanding of governance and policy making. Rajesh has been able to contribute voluntarily towards the growth and development of Hyderabad Runners and active lifestyles with immense support from his wife Vasavi and his two children Spruha and Shritan.

Horst Milde

Museum Coordinator

Email: horst-milde@t-online.de

Horst Milde was a baker by profession, but also a keen runner, and he founded the Berlin Marathon back in 1974. Under his direction it grew from a race of a few hundred, held out in the woods, to an event of 40000 runners which showcases all of Berlin's most prominent landmarks. He handed over the daily management of the Marathon to his son Mark Milde, but is now President of the German Road Races Association. He was an AIMS Board Member from 1999 to 2010. He was instrumental in establishing the AIMS Marathon Museum of Running and continues to coordinate this important facility on behalf of AIMS.

Gary Friar

Media

Email: gary@distancerunning.co.uk

Hiroaki Chosa

President Emeritus

AIMS has developed into a trustworthy partner for IAAF in the international athletics movement largely through the leadership shown by Hiroaki Chosa. AIMS benefited from direct access to decision makers in the international athletics movement through Mr. Chosa's expertise and experience. His experience is varied: through athletes he trained in his national association; through his position as Race-Director of the renowned Fukuoka Marathon; and through his membership of the IAAF Road-Running Commission. It is also thanks to Mr. Chosa that AIMS had contact with Japanese sponsors, which helped the association to become financially independent. This in turn allowed AIMS to carry out several worldwide initiatives.

Carlos Moya

Honorary Vice President

Carlos Moya is one of Portugal’s most successful businessmen and sports promotion and events specialists. He was awarded the 'Order of Saint James of the Sword’ by the Portuguese Government, one of the highest accolades a Portuguese citizen can receive. He also received the prestigious City of Lisbon Oeiras Rio Janeiro Sports Award and was appointed State Sports High Counsellor. Carlos was formerly an elected government minister in Portugal and is much respected for his work in football as a former Vice President of the Benfica Football Club (European Cup Winners in 1961 & 1962) and Chairman of the Benfica Foundation that supports communities throughout Portugal and around the world helping those in need. Known as the ‘marathon man’ in Portugal Carlos organises Portugal’s finest distance races such as the ‘Rock and Roll Meia Maratona de Lisboa’,a race that has seen many records including the current World Half Marathon along with that at 20km and wheelchair racing of the highest quality.