On Athletes Shine on the European Stage 

ROME, Italy, June 13, 2024 - On Europe’s biggest athletics stage, in a crucial sporting year, On athletes rose to the occasion, securing a total of ten medals in seven disciplines. Dominic Lobalu (SUI) secured On’s first-ever individual gold medal at the European Championships. 

On the last day of the championships, Lobalu lined up at the start line of the 10,000m, three days after his bronze medal win in the 5000m. In a race that took a long time to become exciting, Lobalu himself ensured the pace was picked up during the 25 laps and started the final lap in fifth place when he made his move. Passing his fellow runners on the outside of the last curve, Lobalu edged forward and finished in 28:00.32, 16 hundredths of a second ahead of Yann Schrub (FRA). 

After the race, he was speechless: "I have no words right now. This is a dream come true. Thank you all so much for your support. It really means the world to me."

With his performance, Lobalu became the first refugee in history to win gold at a European Championship and the second Swiss athlete to win two medals in individual disciplines. Receiving the green light to compete in Rome just one month before the competition, the European Championships marked Lobalu’s first time representing Switzerland at an athletics competition

Spanish 5000m Record for Marta Garcia 

The celebrations for the Swiss sportswear brand began on day one of the championships, with Marta Garcia from Spain securing the first medal in the women’s 5000m final. Sitting in with the lead 15 runners from the beginning, Garcia comfortably ran her race, taking it all in her stride as the laps ticked on. As the 3000m mark approached, she broke away with the leading six runners and remained in the pack until the final lap when Grovdal and Battocleti pulled away to battle it out for the first and second place. With a last lap push, Garcia managed to come from fifth position and catch up with Koster (NL) in the last meters, pushing just ahead of her to take home the bronze medal with a new personal best and Spanish record for the 5000m of 14:44.04. 

Garcia only found out about her new Spanish record in the mixed zone: "I was only thinking about the medal; now they have told me that it was also a Spanish record. I can't ask for more."

Fellow On athletes Sarah Madeleine (FRA) finished in 8th, with a new PB (15:02:56), and Amy-Eloise Meale (GBR) in 19th position. 

Sprint-Off for Bronze ​ ​

In the 1500m women’s final, French On athlete Agathe Guillemot delivered a stellar last-lap performance. Clinging on to the top three athletes and overtaking Reekie (GBR) in the a sprint-off in the last 150m to win her first-ever senior European Championship medal in a time of 4:05.69.

Double Celebration in the Men’s 5000m 

In the men’s 5000m final, George Mills (GBR) and Dominic Lobalu (SUI) were cause for a double celebration, securing the silver and bronze medals, respectively. Both athletes sat at the back of the field for the first laps, gently making their way forward as the meters racked up. As the final bell rang out, Mills sat on Ingebrigsten’s (NOR) shoulder, crossing the finish line in 13:21:38, while Lobalu overtook two Spanish runners to round off the podium in a time of 13:21:61. ​ 

From Last to Silver Medal ​ 

On Athletics Club Europe member Mohamed Attaoui (ESP) pulled off an incredible feat in the men’s 800m final, coming from last place to take home the silver medal in a time of 1:45:20. Coming around the outside on the second lap, Attaoui, known for his final surge, delivered a blazing final 250m to push past those ahead of him, to finish only second to Tual of France.

Silver for Krause, a year after becoming a mum 

In her first European Championships since becoming a mum in April of 2023, Gesa Felicitas Krause (GER) secured her fourth European Championship medal, coming in second place in the 3000m steeple chase final. Krause sat in with the five lead runners, clearing all obstacles without issues and demonstrating a strong performance. With one lap to go, there was no chance Krause was letting her silver medal go, gritting her teeth through the last lap and crossing the finish line in 09:18.06. 

“This medal means more than words can describe. Its a symbol of hard work, that determination can move mountains, and that even as an individual athlete, you’re nothing without a team. It's been the most special, emotional, and tiring year of my life, and I’ve loved every second of it.”

Three Team Half-Marathon Medals

Three On athletes celebrated medals with their respective teams in the Half-Marathon competitions. Yohanes Chiappanelli claimed the gold medal with his Italian teammates, after a strong performance, with Yemaneberhan Crippa and Pietro Riva claiming overall first and second place and Chiappanelli following them in at strong tenth position in 01:01.42. 

Laura Luengo and the Spanish team celebrated the bronze medal with a strong team performance. Luengo led the team with a 12th-place finish, followed by her teammates in 13th and 14th position. In the men’s competition, On athletes Samuel Fitwi and Filimon Abraham celebrated the bronze medal with the German half marathon team. After a strong season so far, Fitwi crossed the line in fifth place in a time of 01:01.17, a new PB, followed by Abraham in 22nd position. 

Following the conclusion of the Championships in Rome, Flavio Calligaris, Director of Athlete Strategy & Partnership at On, reflected on the success of On athletes and what this means for the Swiss brand:

“To walk away from these championships with one gold, four silver, and two bronze medals encapsulates the power of what can happen when we dream together. These are the moments athletes, coaches, and team members work towards for years, and to see those efforts culminate in this success is amazing. The results speak volumes as to how far On has come. Just two years ago in Munich, On athletes won three medals and now we’ve tripled that number. We are enormously proud of our progress and commitment to our athletes. And there is still so much more to come.”

High-res images for editorial use here

RESULTS 

10,000m Men

Dominic Lobalu, 1st, 28:00.32 - first refugee to win gold at European Championships 

5000m Women

3rd, Marta Garcia, 14:44.04, new national record 

Sarah Madeleine, 8th, PB, 15:02.56

Amy-Eloise Meale, 19th. 15:33.45

5000m Men

George Mills, 2nd, 13:21.38

Dominic Lobalu, 3rd, 13:21.61 

800m Men

Mohamed Attaoui, 2nd, 1:45.20

1500m Women

Agathe Guillemot, 3rd, 4:05.69

3000m SC Women

Gesa Krause, 2nd, 9:18.06

1500m Women

Agathe Guillemot, 3rd, 4:05.69

Half Marathon Women

Laura Luengo, 12th, 01:10.54

Half Marathon Men

Samuel Fitwi Sibhatu, 5th, 01:01.17, PB

Yohanes Chiappinelli, 10th, 01:01.42

Filimon Abraham, 22nd, 01:03.09

About On

On was born in the Swiss Alps in 2010 with the mission to ignite the human spirit through movement – a mission that still guides the brand today. Fourteen years after market launch, On delivers industry-disrupting innovation in premium footwear, apparel and accessories for high-performance running, outdoor, training, all-day activities and tennis. On’s award-winning CloudTec® innovation, purposeful design and groundbreaking strides within the 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.