Bendere Oboya is ready to return to top-level competition as an OAC Oceania athlete
The Australian Middle-Distance runner has unfinished business on the track and has big plans as she joins On's growing team down under.
Zurich, Switzerland – June 28, 2023 - As the youngest child of six, Bendere Oboya always knew she would be an athlete but didn’t know where to start.
“I watched the Rio Olympics sitting on the couch in my parent's home, and I told myself 'I will make the next Olympics,” she said.
Five years later, she was on the start line at the Tokyo Olympics and ran in the 400m and the lead-off leg for the 4x400m relay team.
Oboya, who was born in Gambella, Ethiopia, moved to Sydney with her family when she was three. As a teenager, she improved from a 75-second 400m to a 52.96 in just one year, leading to a second-place finish at the Australian Championships and Commonwealth Games trials.
Now, at 23 years old, Oboya brings international championship experience, having raced in the Tokyo Games and the Doha 2019 IAAf World Championships Under 20.
Coach Craig Mottram said of the new addition, “I have been following Bendere’s transition from the 400m where she competed at the Tokyo Olympics, to now, where she has displayed immense talent over 800m. Bendere brings a bubbly, positive attitude that all the OAC Oceania team members have welcomed. We are very excited about continuing to build this supportive program that is a part of the OAC. The future is bright and we continue to Dream On!”
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. Thirteen 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.