It’s the time of year when sponsorship announcements come thick and fast in triathlon and one of the most eye-catching has just been unveiled as Kat Matthews joins the already super-strong triathlon roster at innovative Swiss sportswear brand On.
Already in the On ‘stable’ are Norwegian superstars Kristian Blummenfelt, Gustav Iden and Solveig Løvseth as well as Britain’s Kate Waugh and Germany’s Lisa Tertsch.
That quintet have won pretty much every title that matters in swim, bike and run. Blummenfelt, Iden and Løvseth are all IRONMAN World Champions, with the first two also winners of the 70.3 Worlds.
Waugh became T100 Triathlon World Champion last year and is ranked #1 in the world at middle / long distance while Tertsch is top of the tree in short course having won a first world title at the WTCS Grand Final in Wollongong in 2025.
Ground-breaking progress
And now Matthews adds to that firepower – she has landed the season-long IRONMAN Pro Series in each of the last two seasons and has finished runner up at both the IRONMAN World Championship and 70.3 Worlds.
She joins fellow Brit Waugh and some of the top middle-distance female performers in the sport including Australia’s Ashleigh Gentle, Switzerland’s Julie Derron and Canada’s Paula Findlay.
Announcing the news, On said: “Matthews’ ascent has been nothing short of legendary. Since turning professional in 2019 – a debut season that saw her claim a European Championship title just four months into full-time training – she has redefined the limits of endurance.
“She is a multi-time World Championship silver medallist and made history as the first woman to complete a full-distance triathlon in under eight hours, clocking 7:31:57 at the Pho3nix Sub8 Project.”
‘A natural fit for our team’
No one has been more consistent than Matthews in the last two seasons but she has missed out in the last two editions of the IRONMAN World Championship as first Laura Philipp and then Løvseth just pipped her.
Taking top spot on the podium in the biggest long-distance race of all will be a clear focus and she said: “My career has been defined by a drive to see exactly how fast a human can go when they refuse to quit.
“From my days as an amateur to breaking world records, I’ve always looked for partners who share that obsession with progress. On’s commitment to Swiss-engineered innovation is the perfect match for my goals as I continue to push the boundaries of the sport.”
Her return to the elite level following a life-threatening training accident in 2022 remains one of the sport’s most powerful comeback stories and Maria Ortega, Athlete Manager at On, added: “Kat is a generational talent, but what truly stands out is the human behind the records.
“She balances an incredible analytical mind with a warmth, vulnerability, and a consistently positive mindset that connect with people. Kat’s journey hasn’t been a straight line to the top; it’s been a story of immense patience and a quiet, steady grit that inspires everyone around her. She perfectly embodies On’s spirits – authenticity and the courage to explore new limits – making her a natural fit for our team.”
Matthews announced recently that her first race of the season will be IRONMAN New Zealand on March 7.
