On signs double Diamond League winner Telahun Haile Bekele
The decorated Ethiopian 5000m runner Telahun Haile Bekele is a new, high-profile addition to the Swiss sportswear brand’s roster of track athletes.
Zurich, Switzerland, February 15, 2023 - On’s track team is happy to announce a prestigious new addition with the signing of Ethiopian Telahun Haile Bekele. The 5000m specialist will make his first On appearance immediately at the Lievin Indoor Meeting in France.
“We are proud to welcome a world-class Athlete like Telahun to On,” says On Athlete Partnership Manager Niklas Bühner. “Telahun showed his potential multiple times by winning two Diamond League meetings and finishing fourth at the World Championships in 2019. He has high goals for himself, which align perfectly with our ambitions. We are excited to go on this journey together with him.”
The 23-year-old was born in the Guarage Zone of Ethiopia and discovered his talent in a high school running competition. He quickly progressed after joining forces with coach Assefa Gadisa in 2015, who guided him to second place in the 5000m race at the Ethiopian national championships two years later. 2017 was also the year in which Bekele transitioned into a training group of national coach Hussein Shibo and started to take part in international competitions.
Bekele had his breakthrough in 2019. He claimed fourth place on the 5000m distance at the World Championships in Doha and clinched a prestigious Diamond League win at the Golden Gala event in Rome, beating his training partner Selemon Barega.
A difficult period in his career followed that was marked by injuries and absences from competition, but Bekele returned strong in the spring of 2022. He claimed the win in the 5km de Lille road race in 13:10, placing him 9th on the All-time list. In June, he won his second Diamond League race at the Bislett Games in Norway. Crucial to Telahun’s work is his coach Nigatu Worku who also supports athletes like Yomif Kejelcha or Gemechu Dida.
Bekele plans to keep up his mix of track and road races until Paris 2024 but has an eye on longer distances like the half-marathon and marathon for the future:
“How On treats its athletes was the main draw for me to enter into the partnership. The cooperation is very close; we communicate a lot, and they carefully check that I have the best possible gear. I was surprised by how much they consider the athlete’s feedback in their development of products, and really appreciate this. To have our voices heard that much is very important for us as athletes”, Bekele said of the start of the partnership.
“I feel supported towards the big goals I have set for this season. I am focused on winning a medal at the World Championships in Budapest and getting as many good results in the Diamond League as possible. Besides that, I want to push my personal bests on the 3000 and 5000 m and gain experience in road races, which are quite new to me. The future feels bright with On.”
High-res images are available for download here (photo credit: 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.