Brussels (April 11, 2024) – Bridgestone Corporation (Bridgestone) is partnering with dozens of elite athletes around the world as a Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner. The company is forming a global roster of Team Bridgestone brand ambassadors on the road to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024.
In total, the Team Bridgestone ambassador roster for Paris 2024 consists of 40 athletes across 9 countries and over 20 sports. The group features 20 past Olympic and Paralympic medalists who have won a combined 46 medals.
Of note, the list of Team Bridgestone ambassadors includes gold medalists Amandine Buchard (judo) and Mandy François-Elie (Para athletics) from France; Malaika Mihambo (athletics) from Germany; Gianmarco Tamberi (high jump) and Gregorio Paltrinieri (swimming) from Italy; Kosuke Hagino (swimming) from Japan; Saúl Craviotto (canoe) from Spain; Adam Peaty (swimming) and Charlotte Worthington (BMX freestyle) from the United Kingdom; and Daniel Romanchuk (Para athletics) and Susannah Scaroni (Para athletics) from the United States.
The full Team Bridgestone global ambassador roster can be found online at Bridgestone.com/olympics/.
“We are honored to work with this inspiring team of athlete ambassadors who are making an impact both on and off the field, and we will be proudly cheering for them on the Road to Paris 2024,” said Thierry Jupsin, Vice President of Brand Marketing, Bridgestone Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). “These individuals truly embody our belief that what really matters is enabling all people to perform at their best regardless of background or ability — not just today, but for years to come.”
The roster of athletes was selected based on an alignment of values with the Bridgestone brand. The personal stories and passions of Team Bridgestone ambassadors will be celebrated and amplified by the company through a combination of marketing initiatives, employee and customer events, and community activities on the journey to Paris. Each athlete also will receive financial support and access to Bridgestone products, services, and solutions.
As part of its support for the Paralympic Movement, the list of Team Bridgestone global ambassadors includes 20 Paralympic athletes or hopefuls. The team includes local rosters that are exclusively adaptive athletes in both the United States and Thailand.
Bridgestone also continues to apply its tire and rubber expertise in collaboration with experts, engineers, and athletes to help advance the performance of adaptive sports equipment. In the United States, the Bridgestone Americas Technology Center in Akron, Ohio, has been working with Team Bridgestone adaptive athlete ambassadors like Chuck Aoki (wheelchair rugby), Aaron Pike (Para athletics) and Scout Bassett (Para athletics). Together, the group has explored tire rubber applications for gloves, wheelchair hand rims, prosthetic running blades, spike plates, and more.
These exploratory efforts were initially launched through collaboration with adaptive athletes in Japan, where Bridgestone has provided customized tire rubber for gloves and prosthetic running blades. The company also developed custom wheelchair tennis tires for Manami Tanaka, a Team Bridgestone ambassador and Bridgestone employee.
Bridgestone’s support for the Olympic and Paralympic Games aligns with the Bridgestone E8 Commitment, which consists of eight Bridgestone-like values starting with the letter "E" (Energy, Ecology, Efficiency, Extension, Economy, Emotion, Ease, Empowerment). Our Bridgestone E8 Commitment guides the company’s efforts to help create a more sustainable world. Through its Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partnerships and its support for Team Bridgestone athlete ambassadors, the company is delivering on its commitments to “Emotion” and “Empowerment.”
More information can be found online at Bridgestone.com/olympics/.