Arena signs Emily Seebohm

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By: Jeff James

Listed Under: News

Published: Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Arena has signed a three-year sponsorship agreement with Australian teenage swimming sensation Emily Seebohm (pictured).

The 18-year-old backstroke, freestyle, butterfly, and individual medley all-rounder is the first Australian to join the Italian company’s Elite Team.

Seebohm first emerged as a name for the future when she was 14, winning four gold medals and two silvers at the 2006 Australian Age Championships in Sydney.

The following year, while still 14, she tied for first place in the100m backstroke at the 2007 Australian Championships, and also picked up third place in the 50m backstroke.

These performances qualified Emily for the FINA World Championships in Melbourne, where she won a gold medal as a member of the world record-breaking 4x100m medley relay team.

In March 2008 Seebohm broke the Commonwealth and Australian records in 50m backstroke and two weeks later at the Australian Championships smashed the newly established world record in a time of 27.95s.

At the 2008 Olympics she narrowly missed out on a place in the 100m backstroke, but was a member of the world record-breaking 4x100m medley relay team.

Seebohm was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2009, and has been selected for the BBC’s World Olympic Dreams series, which follows the preparations of various athletes towards the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

“Signing Emily Seebohm is a really exciting step for Arena,” says Alessandro Carpignano, director general of Arena’s International Business.

“Given Australia’s standing in the swimming world, having a representative on our Elite Team has always been an important goal of ours, and having been able to sign one of its brightest rising stars in Emily makes it all the more pleasing.

“Her performances over the past few years in a number of different events has been nothing short of extraordinary, and she hasn’t even finished developing yet.

“Emily’s positive attitude, larger-than-life presence and effervescent personality will make her a vital and strategic ambassador for Arena, and we look forward to a fruitful and mutually beneficial collaboration with her in the coming few years, not least at the London Olympic Games.”

Adds Seebohm: “I am excited to be joining the Arena organisation as their Australian Brand Ambassador.

“Joining other Arena ambassadors such as Aaron Peirsol, Kirsty Coventry and Paul Biedermann is a wonderful honour.

"My decision was made due to the growing technology and awareness that Arena have in the swimming landscape.

“I feel this decision is only going to benefit my swimming career and help develop the brand in Australia.”