Ghanaian Olympic sprinter Benjamin Azamati will anchor a new Los Angeles based professional team launched by Swiss brand On, as it chases sprint medals at the 2028 Olympics.
The squad, named On Athletics Club (OAC) Sprint, is the brand’s first professional sprint team and was unveiled in Zurich on 21 May. Based in the greater Los Angeles area, which will host the athletics events at the 2028 Games, it extends On’s existing distance running programme, a setup that has produced world champions and Olympic medallists, into the 100m, 200m and hurdles.
Azamati is the team’s veteran anchor and reunites with a coach he has worked with before. He holds Ghana’s 100m national record with a personal best of 9.90 seconds, has competed at the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympics and three World Championships, and owns two African Games relay medals. Raised in Akim Oda, he switched to sprinting after starting out as a footballer and is nicknamed “Silent Velocity” for his composed style.
On founder Olivier Bernhard cast the move as more than a results project. “Sprinting is the ultimate expression of human potential,” he said, adding that the brand wants the team to compete for medals while inspiring a new generation and shaping the culture of the sport.
The team is led by coach John “JB” Bolton, a former assistant sprints coach at the University of Southern California (USC) who has guided athletes to the Olympic podium and several World Championship finals, with sport scientist Harrison Smith handling strength and conditioning. Alongside Azamati, the founding roster features American National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) talent: 2025 NCAA 100m champion Samirah Moody, 2025 100m runner-up Max Thomas and six-time NCAA All-American hurdler Johnny Brackins.
Unlike a typical sponsorship, On is employing the athletes directly and building their training base, positioning the group to develop toward a home Olympics in Los Angeles. The launch marks a notable shift for a company best known for distance running shoes and its CloudTec cushioning.
