Runners Celebrate Speed, Shared Goals and Sisterhood for Sportswear Brand On

As the world gears up for the Olympics in Paris, sportswear brand On is releasing 'The Heart to Race,' the second episode of its 'Dream Together' short film series. Showcasing the unifying power of shared dreams, the film delves into the inspiring bond between On Athletics Club runners Sinta Vissa and Hellen Obiri, highlighting the profound impact of their camaraderie on their athletic journeys as they gear up for the biggest sporting event in the world.  

Written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker J. M. Harper in collaboration with London-based director Hector Aponysus, and in association with Park Pictures, the film follows the blossoming friendship between Kenyan superstar Hellen Obiri and Sinta Vissa, a young Italian runner with Ethiopian roots, after meeting at the On Athletics Club in Boulder in 2022. Marathon runner Obiri had newly arrived in the USA and was without her husband and daughter Tanya for the first months of her time with the On Athletics Club, while Vissa had just transitioned from college running to the professional team. 

“We just kind of clicked”, Sinta Vissa remembers. “We were cooking together, playing some Kenyan music. Everyone sees her as this big G.O.A.T., but she is very funny. Silly faces, that’s her to me. She’s an idol, but she is also a teammate and friend. I can’t keep up with her, but she does give me that push”, she laughs. 

“Even though Sinta is young, she brings something that can help me in my running. I told her, 'Your parents are far away, so I will be your parent here.’ I see her as my little girl, and we have respect for each other, ' Hellen Obiri adds.

'The Heart to Race' centres around their bond, which clearly transcends a typical mentor-mentee relationship and showcases the powerful and transformative nature of genuine support and shared experiences. 

Shot on location in Boulder, The Heart to Race centres around their bond, which transcends a typical mentor-mentee relationship and showcases the powerful and transformative nature of genuine support and shared experiences - both on and off-track. Intercutting live race footage with candid shots of the athletes’ gruelling training regimes, and moments of shared humour while cooking and clowning around together, the film juxtaposes crushing defeats, like Obiri’s first attempt at the marathon distance, which did not end in victory but in a wheelchair - alongside triumphant victories. With the Paris Olympics as their shared goal, the film’s message aligns with the overall Dream Together series - that dreams become reality when pursued together. 

The Heart to Race follows the first episode in the series, Beyond Number One, an intimate portrait of tennis star and World No.1 Iga Swiatek - also directed by 2022 Emmy Award nominee Harper, who has put his experience with projects distributed on all major streaming platforms to use to craft a unique cinematic point-of-view that breaks the confines of typical sports documentaries. The series will conclude with To Chase a Dream, the inspiring story of Dominic Lobalu, a refugee turned top-tier runner, which is set for release on 8th August 2024.     

Michael Paul Stephenson, On’s head of film and documentary, says, “We created this film series to celebrate the remarkable journeys of our athletes and their support systems, showcasing that the path to excellence is forged together. Through intimate, high-access filmmaking, our dream was to offer unique insight into the lives and character of world-class champions in ways we haven’t seen before. The Heart to Race is more than just a film about running; it’s about the profound human connections that move us. Through Hellen and Sinta's journey, we aim to celebrate the bonds that elevate us, both on and off the track.”