Three Records and a Farewell at the Valencia Marathon

Valencia, Spain, December 1, 2024 - Tadesse Abraham brought a fitting end to his impressive marathon career in Valencia in a highly emotional race. Under a clear blue sky, Valencia provided the perfect stage for outstanding performances.

Abraham, who had already announced that Valencia would be his last marathon, paced himself intelligently. Relying on the Cloudboom Strike, his years of experience paid off as he grew stronger in the race's second half and left numerous runners behind. With a new personal best of 2:04:40, he not only secured a new Swiss record but also a place among the best European marathon runners of all time.

“I am very, very proud of myself and very happy. The hard work paid off yet another time”, the 42-year-old said after his race. “I was very relaxed going into it and able to enjoy the moment. I said to myself: it’s my last marathon, it doesn’t really matter what the outcome is, I have achieved everything that I wanted in my career. I will just go all out and see. To finish on the top level like this was my dream. I would like to thank everyone who has supported me. My family and friends and also the public who loves athletics. Thank you!”

Alongside Abraham, On teammates Samuel Fitwi (GER), Yohanes Chiappinelli (ITA), Zerei Kbrom (NOR), Terence Bizoza (BUR), and Laura Luengo (ESP) had also lined up. Just a few seconds behind Abraham, German marathon runner Samuel Fitwi crossed the finish line. Wearing the Cloudboom Strike LS, he set a clear personal best of 2:04:56, a new German record and a new best time for the LightSpray™ technology in ninth place.

Once again, just a few seconds later, Yohanes Chiappinelli from Italy finished his race in 2:05:24, setting a new Italian marathon record. Laura Luengo from Spain was not to be outdone and stormed to a new personal best of 2:22:31 and seventh place in the Cloudboom Strike LS.

A Swiss Running Legend 

Abraham had already announced in advance that Valencia would be his last marathon and that he would finally end his career in his adopted home at the Zurich Silvesterlauf.

It has been a long journey, from starting running in his native Eritrea to get to school after his bike broke down to running marathons all over the world, winning medals and setting records.

The Eritrean-born athlete applied for asylum in Switzerland after traveling to the IAAF Cross Country World Championships in Brussels in 2004. Ten years later, he was officially granted Swiss citizenship and represented Switzerland on the biggest sporting stages.

From the Olympic Games to the European Athletics Championships, Abraham became one of the most successful Swiss long-distance athletes, setting the Swiss marathon record several times (most recently in Valencia with 2:04:40) and winning multiple Swiss championships.

Niklas Bühner, Athlete Manager at On, reflects on the special relationship between Tadesse and On: "Tadesse has been a member of the On family since 2020, and we are very proud to have been by his side in recent years. He has become an integral part of our athlete team. We won't see him at the starting line anymore but know that he will continue to inspire runners worldwide, and we look forward to staying in close contact with him."

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.