A Triumph Trifecta from Tennis Courts to Indoor Tracks and Rugged Trails
On athletes claim a WTA trophy, eleven indoor national titles, and a big win at the UTMB Tarawera 100 Miler all in one weekend.
Zurich, Switzerland, February 19, 2024 - Securing WTA glory, sweeping indoor nationals, and conquering the UTMB Tarawera 100 Miler - Team On can look back on a weekend of impressive results all across the globe.
Iga Świątek dominates in Doha
World No.1 Iga Świątek prevailed at the Qatar Open in a hard-fought final against Elena Rybakina. Coming back from 4-1 down in the first set, Świątek claimed a 7-6, 6-2 win over her opponent to claim her third-straight title in Doha. With this win, she becomes the first player to win a WTA event three straight times since Serena Williams claimed the Miami Open titles in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
Świątek’s Doha dominance gives the 22-year-old her first title of 2024 and her seventh WTA 1000 title.
On Track Team Shines Bright at 2024 Indoor Nationals
On’s Track Team demonstrated excellence at the 2024 Indoor National Championships, securing twelve national titles and 23 medals in total. With a roster of 25 athletes, Team On nearly doubled its medal tally compared to the previous year, showcasing its prowess globally.
Noteworthy achievements include the performance of new On athlete Gesa Felicitas Krause and Denmark's Kristian Uldbjerg Hansen, both clinching two gold medals in double starts in Germany and Denmark. Additionally, Dominic Lobalu celebrated his inaugural Swiss national title.
Thrilling indoor national championships unfolded in Austria, Denmark, Spain, France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Great Britain, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Sweden, and the USA, where On athletes left an indelible mark, claiming national titles and podium spots as they gear up for the crucial Olympic season.
German Sprinter Alexandra Burghardt secured the silver medal in the 60m race, clocking a time of 7.21 seconds.
In the 800m category, Danish runner Kristian Uldbjerg Hansen claimed his gold in a winning time of 1:50.31. Meanwhile, On athletes excelled across Europe, with notable performances by Mohamed Attaoui and Corentin LeClezio who secured silver medals in Spain and France.
In Switzerland, On athletes Rachel Pellaud and Valentina Rosamilia went third and fourth in the 800m with the exact same time of 2:03.09, while Maria Freij won gold at the Swedish Indoor Championships.
The 1500m races showcased the depth of Team On, with Kristian Uldbjerg Hansen claiming his second title of the weekend in 3:44.06. Noah Baltus of OAC Europe stormed to a new indoor PB and a silver medal in 3:39.69, while Germany’s Robert Farken ended his day with a hard-fought silver medal in a time of 3:37.20. In Spain, OAC’s Mario Garcia finished third.
The women's events were equally captivating, with Agathe Guillemot and Gesa Felicitas Krause taking gold medals and Reveé Walcott-Nolan, Sarah McDonald, Marta Garcia, Josette Norris, and Alicja Konieczek leaving their mark across various championships in France, Germany, the UK, the USA and Poland.
In the 3000m distance, Dominic Lobalu clinched his first Swiss title, since becoming eligible to compete for the country on a national level. Sebastian Frey, Yared Nuguse, Florian Bremm, and Charles Grethen displayed their prowess with wins in Austria, the USA, Germany, and Luxembourg, respectively.
OAC Europe’s Marta Garcia claimed the women’s 3000m title in Spain, and steeplechaser Gesa Felicitas Krause completed a double by claiming the same title at the German championships. A time of 9:03.10 meant a U.S. silver medal for Josette Norris, while in Poland, Alicja Konieczek took bronze.
As the On Track Team triumphs on the national stage, the stage is set for an exciting journey towards the world indoor championships later this spring.
UTMB Tarawera triumph for Adrian MacDonald
Meanwhile, trail runner Adrian Macdonald secured a significant victory at this year's UTMB Tarawera 100 Miler in New Zealand. Making his debut in the event, MacDonald entered the race as the top-ranked athlete in the field.
Facing stiff competition from a formidable group of runners, the lead exchanged hands multiple times during the race. Kiwi runner Sam Harvey kept the American on edge throughout the race, keeping the pressure on. MacDonald widened his lead in the final section of the race and completed the challenging course in 15 hours and 57 seconds. New Zealand's Sam Harvey secured the second position, finishing 29 minutes later, while Australia's Mike Carroll trailed seven minutes behind in third place.
Adaptive On athlete Zach Friedley has been in New Zealand for the last two weeks, bringing his Born2Adapt event to the country for the first time. During the UTMB Tarawera, Zach paced another adaptive athlete to a finish in the 21K.
RESULTS
WTA1000 Doha
Iga Świątek def. Elena Rybakina 7-6, 6-2
Iga Świątek w/o Ka. Pliskova
Iga Świątek def. V. Azarenka 6-4,6-0
Iga Świątek def. E.Alexandrova 6-1,6-4
Iga Świątek def. S. Cirstea 6-1,6-1
Indoor Athletics National Championships
AUT
Sebastian Frey, 3000m, 1st 7:50.74
DEN
Kristian Uldbjerg Hansen, 800m, 1st, 1:50.31
Kristian Uldbjerg Hansen, 1500m, 1st, 3:44.06
ESP
Mohamed Attaoui, 800m, 2nd, 1:47.81
Mario Garcia, 1500m, 3rd, 3:44.56
Marta Garcia, 3000m, 1st, 8:54.96
FRA
Corentin LeClezio, 800m, 2nd, 1:51.46
Agathe Guillemot, 1500m, 1st 4:16.41
LUX
Charles Grethen, 3000m, 1st, 8:09.97
NED
Noah Baltus, 1500m, 2nd, 3:39.69 (PB)
GBR
Reveé Walcott-Nolan, 1500m, 2nd, 4:10.48
Sarah McDonald, 1500m, 3rd 4:12.92
GER
Alex Burghardt, 60m, 2nd, 7.21
Robert Farken, 1500m, 2nd, 3:37.20
Gesa Felicitas Krause 1500m, 1st 4:24:31
Gesa Felicitas Krause, 3000m, 1st, 9:06.90
Florian Bremm, 3000m, 1st, 7:58.76
POL
Alicja Konieczek, 3000m, 3rd, 9:03.47
SUI
Rachel Pellaud, 800m, 3rd, 2:03.09
Valentina Rosamilia, 800m, 4th, 2:03.09
Dominic Lobalu, 3000m, 1st, 7:50.24
SWE
Maria Freij, 800m, 1st, 2:05.50
USA
Yared Nuguse, 3000m, 1st, 7:55.76
Josette Norris, 3000m, 2nd, 9:03.10.
UTMB Tarawera 100 Miler
Adrian MacDonald, 1st, 15 hours and 57 seconds
About On
On was born in the Swiss Alps with one goal: to revolutionize the sensation of running by empowering all to run on clouds. Fourteen years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel, and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, and all-day activities. Fueled by customer recommendation, On’s award-winning CloudTec® innovation, purposeful design, and groundbreaking strides in sportswear’s circular economy have attracted a fast-growing global fan base — inspiring humans to explore, discover and dream on.
On is present in more than 60 countries globally and engages with a digital community on www.on.com.