Dominic Lobalu claims first Diamond League win for On

The 23-year-old tops the podium at his first start on track and field’s biggest stage and sets a new personal best and world-leading time – a milestone also for On.

Zurich, Switzerland, July 1st, 2022 — ​ In what was his first start at a Diamond League Meeting, On athlete Dominic Lokinyomo Lobalu was the surprise winner of the men’s 3000 meters in Stockholm with a final time of 7:29,48. Lobalu took his first-ever Diamond League victory by beating Tokyo bronze medalist and reigning World Champion in half-marathon, Jacob Kiplimo from Uganda in a riveting finish. 

Outfitted with the new On Cloudspikes, Lobalu stormed to a new personal best and a world-leading time and gave On its first-ever Diamond League victory in the brand’s history.  The 23-year-old who lives and trains in Switzerland improved his former personal best by 20 seconds.

“I always believed that everything is possible today, I never gave up. I told myself that the race is only over in the finish. I absolutely gave it my all today”, Lubalu said after his performance.

“This is our first Diamond League Podium,” says Flavio Calligaris, Head of Athlete Strategy and Partnerships at On. “Everyone who knows Dominic’s background and story can imagine how proud of him we are. He showed a world-class performance. We are also proud that our spikes performed on the same top level. This fantastic result is the confirmation of all of our hard work and the incredible progress that has been made in the last twelve months.”

Lobalu fled from South Sudan at age 8 and became part of the refugee team in Kenia with which he started at the World Championships in 2017. In 2019, he applied for asylum in Switzerland and has been training with the LC Brühl. Lobalu already showed glimpses of his potential with wins at the Geneva half marathon and a third place in the 1500 meter race at the CITIUS Meeting in Bern this year. With his residential status “F”, the 23-year-old would normally not have been permitted to leave the country. Only a special visa made it possible for him to travel to Stockholm – a chance that Lubalu used perfectly.

In 2024, he would like to start for Switzerland at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Check out the On RIA Foundation Member profile here  .