Arena signs Olympic Champion Ranomi Kromowidjojo

Arena, one of the world’s leading competitive swimwear brands announced a new sponsorship agreement with the explosive Dutch sprinter, Ranomi Kromowidjojo (20), current holder of four relay world records, World and European short course Champion in 50m and 100m freestyle.

Ranomi first started appearing on international podiums as a 14-year-old when she won a bronze medal in the 50m freestyle at the 2005 European Junior Championships in Budapest. A year later at the same championships in Palma di Majorca she went one place better with a silver in the same event, also winning a bronze in the 50m butterfly. In 2006 she also made her international senior debut at the Budapest European LC Championships, where she won her first international senior medal – a silver – in the 4 x 100 m freestyle relay, three weeks before her 16th birthday. Since then she has been an established member of the virtually unrivalled Dutch freestyle relay team, which also regularly features fellow Arena Elite Team member, Inge Dekker.

2007 was a landmark year for Ranomi as she earned her first World LC Championship medal (bronze) in the 4 x 100m freestyle in Melbourne, and then broke her first world record as part of the same relay team at the Dutch Open Swim Cup. The year ended on a high with her first senior international gold medal – and another world record – in the 4 x 50m freestyle relay at the European SC Championships in Debrecen, Hungary.

Before 2008 was four months old, Ranomi and her relay teammates had two more gold medals and two more world records – first, in the 4 x 100m freestyle at the European Championships in Eindhoven, and a month later in the 4 x 200m freestyle at the World SC Championships in Manchester. An Olympic gold medal and Olympic record followed in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay in Beijing, before she broke her first individual national record at the Eindhoven Swim Cup in the 50m backstroke (LC). Like the previous year, 2008 ended with more strong performances, this time at the European SC Championships in Rijeka, Croatia – gold medals in the 4 x 50m freestyle and 4 x 50 m medley relays, and an individual bronze medal in the 100m freestyle. To cap it all, the relay team broke the 4 x 100m freestyle world record yet again, this time with some degree of permanence – the record remains intact.

Things just kept getting better for Ranomi and her teammates with three more relay world records in 2009 – the 4 x 100m freestyle at the World LC Championships in Rome, and the 4 x 50m freestyle and 4 x 50m medley at the European SC Championships in Istanbul. All three records are still standing. The year also marked Kromowidjojo’s arrival as an individual competitor on the international podium – in Istanbul she won silver medals in both the 50m and 100m freestyle events.

Ranomi’s individual achievements of 2009 were simply precursors to her growth in 2010, when she exploded on to the freestyle sprint scene with four gold medals in the 50m and 100m freestyle events. At the European SC Championships in Eindhoven, she was just 33 hundredths of a second outside the world record in the 50m event, and less than half a second outside the world mark at the longer 100m distance. At the World SC Championships in Dubai, she edged to within 0.12 seconds of the 50m record, and broke the championship record at the 100m distance. For good measure, her relay team won gold in both the 4 x 50m freestyle and 4 x 50m medley events in Eindhoven, and in winning gold in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay in Dubai, broke the championship record while coming within 0.33 seconds of their own world record.

Ranomi is coached by the world-renowned Jacco Verhaeren, who led Dutch swimming legend Pieter Van den Hoogenband to three Olympic gold medals, and is also the man behind the phenomenal Dutch women’s relay teams. With the London Olympics now looming on the horizon, it seems Ranomi’s prodigious talent is blossoming under’ Verhaeren’s , experienced hand at just the right time, as she starts to add world-class individual accolades to her remarkable relay records. She might just be the one to beat come next year’s Summer Olympics.

"We are really excited to be able to boost the Arena Elite Team with a swimmer of the quality and promise of Ranomi," said Giuseppe Musciacchio, Arena’s Head of Product Development and Marketing. "Her growth over the past two years has been nothing short of remarkable in a field that boasts some of the world’s greatest sportswomen, including fellow Elite Team members Therese Alshammar and Fran Halsall. Ranomi’s gold medals last year in Eindhoven and Dubai showed that she is as strong an individual swimmer as she is a relay team member, and as the clock ticks down to London in 2012, I believe we will see a lot more of her on the international podium in the individual freestyle sprints as well as the relays. We look forward to the exciting prospect of working together with such a thrilling talent and wonderful ambassador of the sport."

"I'm really happy to be a member of the Arena Elite team.- said Ranomi. Arena has a great track record making the fastest and best suits, and the company is always working on innovations with the feedback of the Elite swimmers. The Arena swimsuits are the best for me and I'm looking forward to race in these suits."

Arena Swimwear has a wide range of FINA Approved racing swimsuits for elite athletes. The Arena Powerskin XP Full Body Short Leg Suit and the Arena Powerskin XP Jammers are now available in Australia at Swimmer.com.au.