Bridgestone at the Olympics: Athletes, Tires, Education and More

Jan. 29, 2018

Bridgestone Corp. is gearing up for the start of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018 with a variety of product, athlete and educational efforts in South Korea.

The tire maker is a Worldwide Olympic Partner, and is supplying Blizzak winter tires for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) vehicles within the Olympic fleet, and is supporting Team Bridgestone -- a global roster of Olympic and Paralympic athletes competing in PyeongChang.

The company also is supporting the official PyeongChang 2018 Education Program, an effort to leave a lasting, positive legacy in the host country.

Bridgestone's marketing message throughout the Games encourages all to “Chase Your Dream."

“As we count down to the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, Bridgestone is proud to further demonstrate our commitment to the Olympic Movement, to the world’s greatest athletes, and to improving the way people move, live, work and play as aligned with the company’s “Our Way to Serve” commitment,” says Asahiko ‘Duke’ Nishiyama, executive vice president and executive officer for Bridgestone.

“These Games also mark another important step forward in strengthening the Bridgestone brand on the global stage. We look forward to showcasing our high-performing products and services, growing our business in South Korea and engaging our 143,000 teammates worldwide while sharing our 'Chase Your Dream' message that empowers people everywhere to persevere in pursuit of their dreams.”

Team Bridgestone

Globally, Bridgestone is supporting more than 100 athletes in various sports around the world. This roster includes more than 50 Olympic and Paralympic heroes and hopefuls from 10 countries who embody the company’s “Chase Your Dream” message and work as athlete ambassadors to serve as the face of Bridgestone activities.

The Team Bridgestone athletes include Maciej Kot from Poland in ski jumping) and Pierre Vaultier from France in snowboard cross). Team Bridgestone also includes the Japanese women's national ice hockey team, known as Smile Japan. There's even a Bridgestone employee on the team's roster.

Bridgestone Americas Inc. is taking part in the tire company's global Olympics project. The subsidiary is supporting six athletes competing as part of Team USA. Bridgestone most recently added Erin Jackson, a competitor in long track speedskating, to its roster of athletes ahead of the Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018.

Jackson has only been training on ice for a total of five months. Transitioning from a successful in-line skating career, she originally planned to compete for a speedskating spot at the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022. But at the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for long track, she dropped a 0.7 seconds off her personal best time to finish third overall to earn a spot on Team USA’s long track speedskating team.

Team Bridgestone athletes are selected based on criteria related to the company’s core values, their personal stories, performance attributes and community involvement.

Jackson will compete in the women’s 500 meters event on Feb. 18 in PyeongChang. She joins these fellow Team USA athletes on Team Bridgestone USA: Nathan Chen (figure skating), Elana Meyers Taylor (bobsled), Amy Purdy (para snowboarding), Evan Strong (para snowboarding) and Ashley Wagner (figure skating).

Supporting education

Bridgestone also is supporting the PyeongChang 2018 Education Program which was extended to reach a new group of students — the children at Shin Mang Won Orphanage in Gyeonggi Province, Yangpyeong-gun.

In December Bridgestone helped host “PyeongChang Day” at the orphanage, in which children experienced Olympic sports and learned about the Olympic values of friendship, excellence and respect. In January, the company is hosting a group from Shin Mang Won when the Olympic Torch Relay passes through Seoul, and in February, Bridgestone will provide Shin Mang Won children a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience PyeongChang 2018 first-hand when it hosts them in a VIP spectator program at the Olympic Winter Games. 

Olympic support will continue

Bridgestone was the first founding partner of the Olympic Channel in August 2016, and signed a four-year agreement to support the digital platform in its mission to celebrate the Olympic Movement and the world’s greatest athletes every day of the year. Bridgestone also is a Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Gold Partner and will support the Japanese Paralympic Team through 2020. Bridgestone Americas also is supporting U.S. Paralympics through 2024.

For more information, visit www.Bridgestone.com/olympics.