PROUDLY CELEBRATING 60 YEARS

ASICS history has certainly runs deep. in 2009, we not only celebrate our place in the modern day sporting industry, we celebrate the life and achievements of an extraordinary man. As a survivor of the war, ASICS founder and figurehead Kihachiro Onitsuka applied himself to a mission of helping youth become better members of society. He felt that sport was the best way to achieve this ; and so he embarked on his incredible journey.

1949 sees the beginning of the Onitsuka/ASCIS story. Mr Onitsuka was a pioneer of athletic shoe making. After much trial and error he delivered his first basket-ball shoe to a leading high school coach. The coach told Mr Onitsuka that he needed to research and learn more about the sport to get the products right. So he did, and not long after the high school team that wore Onitsukas' shoes won the championship.

1950 and the company now known as Onitsuka Tiger saw it's first major success, with the winner of the Boston Marathon wearing the brand.

1960's the first Olympics was held in an Asian country at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. The Japanese women's volleyball team won the gold medal wearing Tiger Volleyball shoes. Tiger footwear underwent various structural and aesthetic changes and the markings were changed to the sleeker 'Tiger Stripe' design still in use today. Mr Onitsuka began marketing his shoes in the United States.

1970's the function of the athletic shoes improved dramatically in the 1970's. Australian Derek Clayton, sponsored by ASICS, broke the world marathon record of 2 hours ten minutes. Major competitions saw many athletes wearing ASICS shoes, including distance running legend Lasse Viren, who won gold in both the 5000 & 10,000 at both the 1972 Munich and 1976 Montreal Olympics.

1977 saw Onitsuka Tiger merge with two other companies to strengthen manufacturing capabilities. The acronym ASICS - 'Anima Sana In Corpore Sano' which means 'A Sound Body In A Sound Mind" was chosen to promote the company philosophy that sports is the best way to create a healthy, happy lifestyle.

1980's ASICS pressed on to meet the challenges for better shoe technology and performance. In 1985, the development facility in Kobe that evaluated sport shoe features officially became the Research and Development Centre of ASICS. The introduction of the exclusive GEL Cushioning System revolutionised the the ASICS footwear line. GEL was placed at critical of the midsole to provide optimum shock attenuation, without sacrificing the stability of the shoe. Today - ASICS uses a variety of GEL Cushioning Systems throughout the footwear line.

1986 ASICS TIGER OCEANIA was established as a subsidiary in Sydney, Australia.

1989 saw the introduction of the GEL-100, forever changing footwear for the serious runner.

1990's ASICS introduced a number of high-tech innovations in the 1990's and established itself as a technological leader in the industry: DuoSole, AHAR Hell Plug, Trusstic System, Wet Grip Rubber, Rhynoskin and DuoMax were all part of the ASICS blueprint of performance footwear technology.

1994 saw ASICS introduce the hugely successful GEL-KAYANO which has since become the industry benchmark of running shoe technology and performance.

2002 the legacy of ASICS innovation flows into the new millennium. Through the state of the art R&D, ASICS scientists continue to push the boundaries of performance, comfort and fit. This commitment has launched a host of groundbreaking technologies including: Gender Specific Space Trusstic and Cushioning, Solyte midsole material, Impact Guidance System (IGS), Biomorphic Fit upper, improved Discrete GEL systems and much much more.

2007 ASICS’ technical efforts culminated with the launch of the incredible GEL-KINSEI, widely regarded as the most advanced running shoe ever created.

Today whether it is at the Olympics, a professional sporting event, or an everyday run around the park. ASICS is the first choice of serious athletes, providing comfort, support, protection and a superior ride. We are also breaking new ground by releasing the innovative Inner Muscle and Top Impact Line Sportswear ranges. These incredible new developments in Sportswear have helped keep athletes drier, cooler, more comfortable and biomechanically performing at their absolute best.
ASICS standards of technical superiority, comfort, injury prevention and rigorous quality have put the company in good stead since 1949. It’s these exact same standards that will remain hallmarks of the brand as it innovates and develops well into the 21st century.

Mr Onitsuka sadly passed away in 2007 but his spirit, goals and dreams will live on forever.