Three-time Olympic gold medalist, and six-time Olympic medalist, Allison Schmitt has signed a sponsorship agreement to promote Adidas Swim, a publicist told us today. A formal announcement by Adidas is expected next week. Schmitt is Adidas’ first signed American swimmer since making their big return to the American competitive swimming market.
Schmitt, alongside Missy Franklin, led Team USA’s women to an impressive medal haul in London in 2012. She won 5 total medals, including an individual title in the 200 freestyle. That was her second Olympic games: she also took a bronze on the 800 free relay in Beijing in 2008.
She finished her career at the University of Georgia in the spring of 2013, and despite her accolades has gone unsigned until now. She took some time away from the sport and wasn’t on the U.S. team for the 2013 World Championships, but made a big return at the Mesa Grand Prix earlier this year and has been swimming well in 2014. That includes winning the 100 free in Mesa, and winning the 100 and 400 freestyles at the Charlotte Grand Prix.
The return to serious competition coincides with this agreement, which is probably not a coincidence: athletes of Schmitt’s caliber are usually signed much more quickly upon exhausting their NCAA eligibility.
After completing her degree at Georgia in December, she has returned to training full-time under Bob Bowman and alongside Michael Phelps at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club (NBAC). In several interviews, the two have described her as the ultimate teammate and a perfect partner to Phelps.
Her next big meet will be the Bulldog Grand Slam, back in her stomping grounds in Athens, beginning Thursday. She’s entered to swim the 100 free, the 200 free, and the 400 free, meaning that she’ll have one event each on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Adidas is extending their #allin campaign to the swimming market. As one of the world’s biggest brands in the world of soccer, that’s a campaign that has huge momentum behind it after the recent World Cup run that ends on Sunday.
Like Adidas Swim on Facebook here, or check them out on Twitter @adidas_swim.
Adidas is a SwimSwam partner.
Interesting how times change. In late 70’s and into 80’s Arena was a subsidiary of Adidas. The days of Gil Westwell and Hans Faschnaut.
Allison Schmitt took some time away from the sport?
When?
Yay, Schmitty! I’m gonna save up for one of the suits you helped design. 🙂
aswimfan – after missing the Worlds team, she basically took the rest of 2013 off while finishing her degree. Didn’t race for 10 months, she or Bowman or someone said in an interview she was only in the water a couple of times a week, etc.
I am glad for her. I always wondered why she was unsigned so long. Congrats to Allison “Schmitty” Schmitt
I was wondering the same thing. She has been done NCAA for 15 months and 6 Olympic medals on her resume….what took so long?
Cool for Ms. Schmitt. It’ll be interesting to see what Adidas comes up with in terms of performance suits. Their training product line (http://www.adidasswim.com/products1/) looks undifferentiated. It would be nice if Adidas could have a competitive tech suit with an earthly price.
Whoa. Talk about a surprise. I thought that she and Phelps would be the stars of Underarmor’s swim line. I guess that this is a good thing. I have a feeling that we’ll be seeing a variation on the Stan Smith with Allison’s face on the tongue.
Another famous US athlete named Allison is with Adidas since her pro debut.
I’m talking of course about one of my favorite track athletes ever, Allison Felix.
Ok. I’ve just remarked I was all wrong! 😳
First, it’s Allyson.
Second, she has quit Adidas for Nike in 2010.
Why did Bobo get so many thumbs down? Because he mentioned a TRACK star? Oh, please.
What is her degree in? Just curious.. Happy for Allison, she is awesome!
I believe it is Psychology. Congratulations Allison! Really excited to see what she does in the future. Think Adidas chose well 🙂