On goes beyond greatness

Ahead of this year's Olympic Games in Paris, Swiss sportswear brand On is launching a three-part short film series called Dream Together, the first of which features tennis's world number one, Iga Świątek.

The short films will shine a light on how the ‘teams behind the dreams’ have helped each aspiring Olympian in different ways on the road to the biggest sports stage in the world.

Written and directed by filmmaker J. M. Harper, in collaboration with London-based director Hector Aponysus, and in association with Park Pictures, each episode of Dream Together centres on a different On athlete and a truth about the dreams embodied in their individual journey. Collectively, the short films also serve as chapters within a broader narrative and message: when dreams are shared, achievements exceed individual efforts.  

In this first film, called Beyond Number One, viewers are invited into the world of 22-year-old Polish tennis sensation Iga Swiatek, while the second episode will spotlight the special relationship between Kenyan runner Hellen Obiri and Italian Sinta Vissa as they train together in Boulder, Colorado, as part of the On Athletics Club team. The final film will centre on the inspiring story of Dominic Lobalu, a refugee turned top-tier runner, whose remarkable journey was first revealed in On’s much-lauded 2023 film The Right to Race, which premiered at Cannes Lions last year. 

Beyond Number One offers a rare glimpse into the world of tennis champion Iga Swiatek, shining a light beyond her on-court persona and laser-focused talent. Following the 22-year-old sports star around the world, from Palm Springs to her Warsaw home, the eight-and-a-half-minute short portrays Swiatek the athlete and the person, reflecting on the triumphs but also the tensions and expectations of being the world's number one. Through interviews with Swiatek and her team - sports psychologist Daria Abramowicz, coach Tomasz Wiktorowski and physiotherapist Maciej Ryszczuk - the film highlights the importance of a support system in grounding her amidst the pressures of elite competition as she approaches the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

“The short films focus on four extraordinary athletes, but they take time to also show the ordinary parts of their humanity that make them relatable," says Harper. "We extracted the captivating narratives of their dreams that transcend boundaries and unite communities and their silent but powerful teams — family, coaches, friends, teammates, and loved ones who collectively dream alongside them. Unfolding not in the glare of live television but in the quieter spaces… the warm-ups, the workouts, the practice… as well as in all of the mundane, human, non-sports moments in between.”