With just weeks to go until the start of the greatest competition in sport, the pressure is on to shave every second. That’s why two more of the world’s premier swimmers have joined the greatest team in sports, adidas. In joining the team, Britons Benjamin Proud and Andrew Willis will now be equipped with the best in cutting-edge swimming technology.
Aged just 21, Benjamin Proud is one of the most talented young performers in the world. Most notably he took the 2014 Commonwealth Games by storm aged 19, winning two golds and a bronze, followed by a gold and bronze medal at the European Championships in Berlin. He set the second fastest time this year in the 50m butterfly, and currently ranking 6th in the world in the 50m freestyle, he looks to be a real gold medal contender in international competition.
British Andrew Willis recorded the fourth fastest time in the world this year in the 200m breaststroke. The experienced swimmer is looking to build on a bronze from the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
Joining the best team in sport, both swimmers will wear the recently launched adizero XVI, adidas’ fastest ever swimsuit that combines intelligent materials and intuitive fit. adidas worked with biomechanics, physiologists, fabric and pattern experts, plus a global pool of elite athletes to create the game-changing swimsuit, enabling swimmers to achieve their maximum speed. The ground-breaking technology features three advancements; energy optimisation (X-TRA ENERGY), intelligent materials (X-TRA FLOW) and a stroke-specific biometric fit (X-TRA FIT).
Benjamin Proud said of the announcement: “I have always been an adidas fan: Beckham, Ali, Messi all wore three stripes and all were the greatest in their sport. I feel so lucky to join the roll call of athletes that are enabled by adidas’ innovations and can’t wait to see the effect of that in the pool.”
Andrew Willis added: “Having competed in London, I know just how important this summer is, but I also know the difference that every millisecond makes. That’s why I joined adidas; it has the fastest swimmers and the fastest technologies, and will enable me to become the best swimmer I can possibly be.”
Jim Latham, Senior Director Sports Marketing said: “We are delighted to add these two talented young athletes to our growing team of elite swimmers. We take great pride in providing the best for the athlete, and for Ben and Andrew to join our team only weeks before the most important competition in the world is great news for adidas”.
Proud and Willis join elite swimmers Madison Wilson, Michael Andrew, Allison Schmitt, Fernanda Gonzalez, Coralie Balmy, Chris Walker-Hebborn, Théo Bussiere and Kyle Chalmers, as well as the global pool of adidas athletes including Leo Messi, Jessica Ennis-Hill, James Harden and Caroline Wozniacki.
Follow the progress of Benjamin Proud and Andrew Willis at @adidas_swim on Twitter and Instagram and join the conversation with #TakeTheLane.
About adidas Swimming
adidas swim is the brand for true swim creators. From the most sustainable product offering to the fastest competition swimsuit we are living the sport not every four years, we live it every day. We are rooted in sports and always strive to deliver towards our founders’ credo: only the best for the athlete.
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Swimming news release is courtesy of Adidas Swim, a SwimSwam partner.