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Swiss high-performance sportswear brand On announced on Monday, January 26, that it has signed double Olympic and two-time world champion Soufiane El Bakkali.
On confirmed that the double Olympic gold medalist will wear the kit and also collaborate with the brand on performance innovation while continuing his hunt for global titles. This partnership officially brings one of Africa’s most decorated track athletes to On’s elite lineup.
The Zurich-based company’s global “Oniverse” includes world-class names such as Iga Świątek, Ben Shelton and Hellen Obiri, as well as long-time partner and investor tennis legend Roger Federer.
El Bakkali is the dominant force of his generation in the 3,000 m steeplechase. After narrowly missing the podium earlier in his career, he made history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games by becoming the first non-Kenyan-born athlete to win the event since 1980, ending four decades of Kenyan dominance.
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He has since reinforced his status at the top of the discipline, winning consecutive world titles in 2022 and 2023 before successfully defending his Olympic crown at the Paris 2024 Games. That victory placed him in rare company, making El Bakkali only the second athlete in history, after Finland’s Volmari Iso-Hollo in 1932, to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals in the 3,000m steeplechase.
“We are thrilled to welcome Soufiane to the On family,” said Niklas Bühner, Athlete Manager at On. “Soufiane is a phenomenal athlete with a passion for excellence that perfectly aligns with our brand values. His dedication and success on the track are an inspiration, and we look forward to supporting him as he continues to compete at the highest level and to collaborate with him on product development.”
For his part, El Bakkali attributed his decision to join On to an alignment of visions. “I chose On because I see a bright future with them, especially after our first conversation with their team about the goals and the project,” he said. “I hope to shine alongside them because I aspire to achieve even more in the future.”
This move comes right off the back of that unbelievable showdown at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. El Bakkali took home the silver, finishing just 0.07 seconds behind his now-fellow On athlete Geordie Beamish.
On is basically building a steeplechase “dream team,” adding El Bakkali to their world-class roster that already includes Ryuji Miura, Getnet Wale, Doris Lemngole and Gesa Krause.
