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.

SOURCE Abbott