Swiss brand “On” bolsters its steeplechase roster with double Olympic gold medallist Soufiane El Bakkali

Double Olympic gold medallist Soufiane El Bakkali has joined the Swiss brand On to collaborate on performance innovation, while continuing to pursue his international racing career.

The Moroccan steeplechase international has been added to the On brand roster of notable athletes.

El Bakkali established himself as the most dominant steeplechase runner of his generation. After narrow fourth-place finishes early in his career, he famously broke a 40-year era of dominance at the 2020 (2021) Tokyo Olympic Games, becoming the first non-Kenyan-born athlete to win the Olympic 3,000m steeplechase since 1980. He clocked in an 8:08.90 performance.

He is the eighth-fastest steeplechaser in history with the 15th fastest time of 7:56.68. Five of the 15 performances in front of him were run by one athlete in Saif Saeed Shaheen, the former Kenyan who transitioned to Qatar during his career.

El Bakkali won back-to-back World Championship golds in 2022 and 2023, and successfully defended his Olympic crown at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. This victory marks a historic moment, making El Bakkali only the second athlete in history, since Finland’s Iso Hollo in 1932, to win two consecutive Olympic gold medals in the 3,000m steeplechase.

“We are thrilled to welcome Soufiane to the On family,” said Niklas Bühner, Athlete Manager at On. “Soufiane is a phenomenal
athlete with a passion for excellence that perfectly aligns with our brand values. His dedication and success on the track are an
inspiration, and we look forward to supporting him as he continues to compete at the highest level and to collaborate with him on product
development.”

“I chose On because I see a bright future with them, especially after our first conversation with their team about the goals and the
project,” said Soufiane. “I hope to shine alongside them because I aspire to achieve even more in the future.”

The move to On follows an intense battle at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo. In a dramatic finish that came down to the
final 10m, El Bakkali took the silver medal, finishing just 0.07 seconds behind On athlete Geordie Beamish of New Zealand. By signing El Bakkali, On officially unites these two rivals along with a dominant force of steeplechasers already under contract with the brand, including the likes of Ryuji Miura, Getnet Wale, Doris Lemngole, and Gesa Krause.