The continued expansion of the company’s global Team Bridgestone athlete ambassador roster means it now includes more than 75 athletes from over 20 key markets and 34 different sports. 

Among them is Argentinean hockey player María José Granatto, Australian wheelchair tennis player Heath Davidson, Australian basketball player Joe Ingles, Brazilian shot putter Darlan Romani, Canadian sprinter Aaron Brown, Chinese badminton player Chen Long, French swimmer Charlotte Bonnet, Indian badminton player Pusarla Venkata Sindhu, and Italian swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri.

Also on the list is  Japanese swimmer Kosuke Hagino, Japanese wheelchair tennis player Manami Tanaka, Mexican archer Aída Román, Spanish weightlifter Lidia Valentín, Spanish triathlete Javier Gómez Noya, retired British decathlete Daley Thompson, American sprinter Allyson Felix, retired American swimmer Missy Franklin and American Para-swimmer Jessica Long, among others. 

"It’s fitting that we are supporting our largest and most diverse group of athlete ambassadors for the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 because these Games will take place in the city we call home," Shu Ishibashi, vice-chair and representative executive officer at Bridgestone Corporation, said.

"Athletes represent the heart and soul of the Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

"The world-class athletes on Team Bridgestone embody the perseverance, passion and drive needed to succeed in the face of adversity.

"We are incredibly proud to celebrate their journeys and work together to inspire people everywhere to chase their dreams."

Each athlete ambassador on Team Bridgestone was carefully selected based on criteria related to the company’s core values, their personal stories, performance attributes, and community involvement, it is claimed. 

Their journeys will be celebrated through marketing, community, customer and employee activities before, during and after Tokyo 2020.

This will be in alignment with Bridgestone's global "Chase Your Dream" message designed to inspire people to overcome obstacles in pursuit of their goals. 

The athletes will also receive financial support and access to Bridgestone products, services and solutions.

"I am honored to represent Team Bridgestone and join so many amazing athletes from around the world on this journey to the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020," Franklin, a five-time Olympic gold medallist who competed at both London 2012 and Rio 2016, said. 

"Bridgestone understands what it means to strive for elite performance on the highest levels. 

"I’m excited to collaborate with a company that shares my values and believes so strongly in supporting the Olympic Movement, the Paralympic Movement, and athletes around the world."

As part of its commitment to innovation and mobility, Bridgestone has also started applying its tyre and rubber expertise to support technical advancements in athlete equipment. 

In Japan, the company has developed new bicycles for the country's track cyclists at Tokyo 2020, and it is also pursuing Paralympic projects to benefit several sports, including tyres for wheelchair tennis. 

Bridgestone revealed it hopes to continue advancing and expanding these efforts to positively impact athletes in additional markets in the years to come.

Additional Team Bridgestone athletes and activities are due to be announced in the months ahead during the countdown to Tokyo 2020.

The full roster of Team Bridgestone athlete ambassadors can be viewed by clicking here.