Coming to break the record, Adidas "teams up" with Olympic champion Pan Zhanle.

On March 29, Adidas officially announced that Pan Zhanle, the swimming champion of the Paris Olympics, has become the brand's ambassador.

Global sports giant Adidas has "joined hands" with China's top athletes—not just as a simple brand endorsement partnership, but as a key move to deepen its presence in the Chinese market and truly embody its "In China, For China" philosophy.

See you at the summit—here to break the record.

“Records are meant to be broken—especially monopolies, which must be shattered,” Pan Zhanle once declared publicly. Now, the Olympic champion, who is barely 21 years old, is steadily turning those words into reality.

In the men's 100-meter freestyle event, Pan Zhanle has consistently been on a path to breaking records. At the 2022 Budapest World Swimming Championships, he tied the national record with a time of 47.65 seconds, becoming the second Chinese swimmer ever to break the 48-second barrier in this event. Then, at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, he further made history by becoming the first athlete in Asian swimming history to dip below 47 seconds, clocking an impressive 46.97 seconds.

In 2024, Pan Zhanle’s career reached a new pinnacle. First, at the Doha World Swimming Championships, he shattered the world record in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay final with an opening leg time of 46.80 seconds. Then, at the Paris Olympics, he once again broke the world record, clocking 46.40 seconds, and became the first Chinese athlete to clinch the Olympic gold medal in the men’s 100m freestyle event.

From developing a passion for swimming at the age of 4 to becoming the world's fastest swimmer, Pan Zhanle has crafted his own legendary story over the course of 17 years. Every day, he commits to an impressive 15,000-meter training regimen, steadily building his strength and endurance over the years. Driven by unwavering determination and an unyielding will to push boundaries, he continues to break records time after time. This deep-rooted love for sports and relentless pursuit of excellence perfectly embody the brand spirit that Adidas has long championed and upheld.

Since its founding, Adidas has consistently upheld the product philosophy of "Only the best for athletes," relentlessly pushing boundaries and helping athletes break their own limits and shatter records with a spirit of innovation and expertise. At the Paris Olympics, Adidas witnessed its sponsored athletes and teams clinch an impressive 272 medals. During the "Football Summer," iconic soccer cleats like the Adidas Predator and F50 played a pivotal role in propelling Spain and Argentina to victory, as both nations claimed the UEFA European Championship and Copa América titles, respectively. Meanwhile, the ADIZERO 0 series of running shoes helped athletes secure over half—51%—of the top spots at the world’s 50 most prestigious track and road races in 2024.

"Settling, breaking through, starting fresh, and surpassing ourselves—these aren’t just the driving forces behind Adidas’s relentless progress; they’re also the very motivation propelling all top athletes to continually shatter records."

Since 2024, Adidas has also introduced a fresh brand proposition—“YOU GOT THIS”—to inspire athletes to let go of pressure and encourage everyone who loves sports to embrace the pure, unfiltered joy of movement. Reflecting this message, Pan Zhanle often proudly emphasizes, "Enjoy the competition." This collaboration isn’t just about two champions meeting at the pinnacle—it’s also a powerful alignment of shared values and inspiration.

Deeply rooted in the Chinese market, resonating with the younger generation

Since entering the Chinese market in 1997, Adidas has consistently upheld the localization philosophy of "In China, For China," supporting the long-term development of China's sports industry through diverse product categories and an extensive network of presence.

Adidas has always understood that fostering the growth of sports requires being "a friend of time." Beyond partnering with Olympic champion Pan Zhanle, Adidas proactively identifies promising young athletes and empowers their development through cutting-edge technology and innovation.

For instance, in 2023, Adidas signed 17-year-old breakdancer Liu Qingyi, and the following year, Liu went on to win China’s first-ever Olympic medal in breaking at the Paris Games. Earlier, back in 2020, Adidas had already partnered with 16-year-old Su Yiming, who two years later showcased his incredible talent at the Beijing Winter Olympics, becoming China’s youngest-ever Olympic champion in Winter Games history. Additionally, Adidas has been supporting young athletes such as Li Yingying, Xie Zhenye, Wu Yanni, Wu Yibing, and Jiang Minhui.

Adidas, staying true to its original sporting spirit, has forged long-term partnerships with the Chinese Volleyball Association, the Chinese Tennis Association, and the Chinese Athletics Association. Additionally, it has supported grassroots sports events such as the Beijing Marathon and the Shanghai Half Marathon, continuously injecting momentum into China’s drive to become a global powerhouse in sports.

In addition to sponsoring various sports events, Adidas leverages its industry expertise and global resources to wholeheartedly support the development of youth sports in China.

In early 2024, Adidas partnered with the China Football Development Foundation to launch the international charity project "Young Phoenix Initiative," selecting 22 young female football players from western China to travel to Germany for intensive training and cultural exchange. Later that same year, Adidas also formed a strategic partnership with the Chinese Student Sports Federation, providing comprehensive support for the "National Youth Campus Football League – High School Division," including event training programs and sponsorship of professional football equipment.

In February of this year, Adidas also held a donation ceremony with Tsinghua University. Over the next three years, the two organizations will collaborate across four key areas—sports technology innovation, campus athletics, talent development, and cultural promotion—to drive high-quality growth in China's sports industry.

In the context of the ongoing drive to build a sports powerhouse, Adidas has consistently aligned its own growth with China’s thriving sports ecosystem—whether by fully supporting top Chinese athletes like Pan Zhanle as they pursue their dreams on the global stage, or by actively sponsoring professional competitions and empowering the development of China’s next generation of athletes. With each step of its deepened localization strategy firmly grounded and impactful, Adidas is actively contributing to the nation’s ambitious vision of becoming a true sporting superpower.

Source: Economic Observer