On has been on a sustained run of growth over the last few years. From sales and brand recognition to product innovation, the company has quickly become one of the most influential forces in running.

So when they invited us to Los Angeles this week to be part of something not tied directly to product launches or footwear innovation, we were more than a little curious. Because let’s face it: when sales are booming and global recognition is already established, it would have been easy for the brand to keep feeding that machine.

Instead, On announced one of the boldest, and arguably most positive, moves in track & field today with the launch of the On Athletics Club (OAC) Sprint Team: a fully funded, Los Angeles-based professional sprint program built from the ground up, designed to compete on the world’s biggest stages, and positioned directly in the path of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

From the jump, let’s make one thing clear: this isn’t On simply slapping its logo and dollars onto an existing program. This is not a sponsorship deal or ambassador arrangement. On is employing these athletes, building their training infrastructure, surrounding them with elite coaching, and committing to their development in the same way a professional sports franchise would.

To start, the team consists of four founding athletes and a dedicated head coach, all operating under a long-term philosophy that prioritizes chemistry, continuity, and winning over optics.

The On Athletics Club already has a proven track record in distance running, producing world titles and Olympic medals through a similar team-first model. OAC Sprint is that same engine, now applied to the shortest and widely known discipline in the sport.

And the timing is no coincidence.

Based in greater Los Angeles, the program is strategically aligned with the 2028 Olympics. On doesn’t just want to show up as another logo on an athlete’s shoe; the company wants to be part of building the athletes who reach the starting line.

Between sips of coffee in Los Angeles this morning, we had a chance to ask Flavio Calligaris-Maibach, Head of Athlete Strategy & Partnership at On, how all of this came together.

“This started as an idea four years ago,” he told us. “For the product development team working directly with these athletes, the process has involved nearly two years of boots-on-the-ground collaboration — building the foundation for what officially launches today.”

Coach and Chemistry First

The team is led by coach John “JB” Bolton, who has built his career developing world-class talent from the junior college level through his role as Assistant Sprints Coach at USC. His athletes have stood on Olympic podiums and competed in World Championship finals.

But according to On, this team is less about résumés and more about relationships.

When we asked Flavio why these four athletes stood out, he didn’t hesitate.

“This project has been very coach-forward, and JB has coached three of the four athletes previously. On believes that when you have the right coach and the right chemistry, the flow will happen. Essentially, when one ship rises, all of them do — and that was really important.”

That philosophy sits at the center of the entire project.

And the athletes assembled around it are worth knowing by name.

Meet the OAC Sprint Founding Roster

Samirah Moody is already one of the most exciting names in American women’s sprinting. The reigning 2025 NCAA Outdoor 100m Champion owns personal bests of 10.93 in the 100m and 22.50 in the 200m. She’s no longer just a prospect — she’s a competitor ready for the next level, and this team appears designed for exactly that transition.

Max Thomas has already run 9.90 in the 100m and 20.02 in the 200m — the kind of marks that make a 2028 Olympic conversation feel not just realistic, but expected. The 2025 NCAA 100m runner-up is a dual-threat sprinter with serious upside, and at this stage of his career, the right training environment could make all the difference.

Johnny Brackins may have the widest range on the roster. A six-time NCAA All-American in the hurdles and long jump, Brackins is also a World U20 Championships bronze medalist who has run 49.04 in the 400m hurdles and 7.43 in the 60m hurdles. In championship racing, versatility matters and Brackins has consistently shown he can perform when the stakes rise to the highest temperature.

Benjamin Azamati is the veteran anchor of the group. The Ghanaian Olympian competed in both Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024, appeared at three World Championships (2019, 2022, 2025), and earned two African Games relay medals. His 9.90 personal best speaks for itself, but the experience he brings to a young sprint program may prove just as valuable.

At a time when many running brands are creating noise through collaborations or buying their way into culture, it feels refreshing to see a company invest in building an actual professional sprint infrastructure from the ground up.

More importantly, this isn’t a short-term activation. The project is rooted in a four-year vision, years of athlete collaboration, and a coach-first philosophy built around long-term development.

Samirah, Max, Johnny, and Benjamin all have legitimate ambitions of reaching the 2028 Olympic stage, and On is clearly betting on that potential early, much like a college basketball team might recruit a 15-year old.

Because in elite sport, consistency still matters more than hype and with the announcement now official, the clock toward Los Angeles 2028 is officially ticking.

We’ll be watching closely to see what comes next.