IOC TOP sponsor Intel has named its initial group of sponsored athletes for the Tokyo Games. U.S. basketball player Nneka Ogwumike, sprinter Noah Lyles and Paralympic long-jumper Lex Gillette are the active athletes on the team. They will be joined by retired decathlete Ashton Eaton, who won Gold in both the '12 London and '16 Rio Games. While commercial plans for Tokyo are still in flux for most sponsors, Intel said the four will work with the company on developing Athlete 365, the IOC’s online athlete support program. “Each member not only brings an impressive list of athletic achievements, but also, importantly to us, a passion for the role that technology plays both in their sport and in the world,” said Intel VP/GM Olympics Program Rick Echevarria.
Lyles is considered a favorite in the 200M, while Ogwumike is expected to be a key contributor to the women's basketball team, a favorite for the Gold. Gillette is a four-time Paralympics Silver Medalist. Ogwumike is represented by Lindsay Kagawa Colas at Wasserman; Noah Lyles by Mark Wetmore at Global Athletics & Marketing, Inc.; Gillette by Jennifer Holden at Holden Sports Management; and Eaton is represented by Paul Doyle at Doyle Management Group. GMR leads Intel's Olympic marketing programs, and UEG helps on global communications strategy.
