On Signs Samuel Tefera to its roster of African athletes

Swiss sportswear brand On has added Samuel Tefera to its team of athletes. Tefera is an Ethiopian runner born on October 23, 1999. He won the 1500m World Indoor Championships in 2018 at just 18 years old.

Tefera made his debut in On gear at the Doha Diamond League on May 16. He competed in the 5000m and led the race at times. Tefera finished fourth with a time of 13:18.63.

Tefera's running journey began in Midakegn, Oromia Region, Ethiopia. As a grade eight student, he placed second in a race against older runners. This experience motivated him to pursue running more seriously. He later won the regional 1500m and joined a club for training.

At age 17, Tefera competed at the World Championships in London. He ran the 1500m but was eliminated in the heats. The following year, he won gold at the World Indoor Championships in Birmingham with a time of 3:58.19.

Still a teenager, Tefera broke the world indoor record for the 1500m. His record of 3:31.04 stood for three years until Jakob Ingebrigtsen broke it.

Tefera was selected to represent Ethiopia at the delayed Tokyo Olympics in 2020. Unfortunately, an injury prevented him from advancing past the heats in the 1500m event. In Belgrade in 2022, he returned to defend his title and set a new championship record of 3:32.77.

Tefera expressed excitement about joining On: “On's commitment to performance resonates deeply with my aspirations.” He looks forward to chasing records and shaping future running footwear together.

Niklas Buehner, Athlete Manager at On, shared his enthusiasm as well: “We are thrilled to welcome Samuel to our family.” He believes Tefera's talent combined with On's innovative spirit will lead to great achievements ahead.