French medium- and long-distance running champion Yann Schrub has signed a two-year brand sponsorship agreement with Apollo Tyres. The 28-year-old athlete will help promote the Vredestein premium passenger car tyre brand with social media posts, personal appearances and participation in the annual Vredestein-backed Les 20km de Paris mass–participation run that starts and finishes by the Eiffel Tower.
The new link with Schrub is part of a diverse sports marketing programme developed for the Vredestein brand, which also now includes sponsorship of major sporting events and teams including the World Alpine Ski Championships, Manchester United Football Club and the 1000 Miglia classic road rally series.
As French two-time national champion, Schrub is set to represent his country in the 10,000 metres at the 2024 Paris Olympics next month. He is no stranger to the Vredestein brand, having won the annual Les 20km de Paris in 2022. Apollo Tyres first secured Vredestein’s sponsorship of the iconic race in 2022 during its 44th anniversary, and the brand will remain title sponsor until at least 2026.
In mid-June Schrub secured a silver medal in the men’s 10,000–metre race at the 2024 European Athletic Championships, setting him up for a fresh bid at Olympic glory. In addition to his achievements on track, he is currently ranked fourth in the world in men’s cross-country.
“As I head into my first Olympics – hosted in my home country – I am thrilled to partner with Apollo Tyres and the Vredestein brand,” said Schrub. “There is a very natural fit as they share my focus on performance, and I’m excited about how we can work together in this crucial year and beyond.”
Schrub will compete at the 2024 Les 20km de Paris in October, lining up alongside approximately 25,000 elite and amateur runners.
Yves Pouliquen, Vice President Commercial at Apollo Tyres, said: “Yann perfectly represents what the Vredestein brand stands for. Becoming a world-class athlete takes tenacity and the ability to be ‘always pushing forward’, and Yann shares the same dedication towards achieving maximum performance, no matter what the conditions.”