Olympic Champion Joins Hellen Obiri as He Makes Major Move to Swiss Sportswear Brand

The landscape of professional distance running shifted significantly today as On, the Swiss sportswear brand, officially announced the signing of Moroccan steeplechase icon Soufiane El Bakkali.

By joining the On family, El Bakkali aligns himself with a powerhouse roster of world-class talent, most notably headlining the brand’s elite team alongside fellow distance legend and two-time Boston Marathon champion, Hellen Obiri.

Soufiane El Bakkali’s journey to the top is defined by his role as a historic disruptor. For decades, the 3,000m steeplechase was dominated by a single nation, but El Bakkali changed the narrative at the Tokyo 2020 Games.

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He became the first non-Kenyan-born athlete to win Olympic gold in the event since 1980, ending a 40-year era of singular dominance.

Since that breakthrough, he has cemented his status as a generational talent. With back-to-back World Championship golds in 2022 and 2023, and a successful defence of his Olympic crown at the Paris 2024 Games, he has achieved what few thought possible.

El Bakkali is now only the second athlete in history, since Finland’s Volmari Iso-Hollo in 1932, to win consecutive Olympic golds in the steeplechase.

The addition of El Bakkali reinforces On’s commitment to performance at the highest level. By bringing him into the fold, On creates a formidable ‘super-team’ dynamic.

Just as Hellen Obiri has redefined what is possible in the marathon and on the roads for the brand, El Bakkali brings unparalleled authority to the track.

“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.”

The timing of this partnership is particularly poetic. The move follows a thrilling showdown at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, where El Bakkali took the silver medal in a photo finish, trailing On athlete, Geordie Beamish, by a mere 0.07 seconds.

By signing El Bakkali, On has effectively united the world’s best steeplechasers under one roof. He joins a specialised group that includes Beamish, Ryuji Miura, Getnet Wale, Doris Lemngole, and Gesa Krause. For El Bakkali, the decision was based on a shared vision for the future of the sport.

“I chose On because I see a bright future with them,” El Bakkali shared. “I hope to shine alongside them because I aspire to achieve even more in the future.”

With Soufiane El Bakkali and Hellen Obiri leading the charge, On continues to evolve from a disruptive newcomer into the dominant force in global running.