Ex-professional cyclist turned road runner – Jimmy Whelan joins Suunto athlete team
Suunto is proud to welcome Australian endurance athlete Jimmy Whelan to the athlete roster as he transitions from professional cycling to elite road running. Based in Barcelona, Whelan will race across Europe representing the Finnish tech company and wear the Suunto Race 2 for both training and racing.
With Whelan joining the global roster alongside Phil Sessemann (UK) and George Mills (UK), 2026 marks a symbolic step for Suunto into the road running scene.
After establishing himself as an incredibly strong professional cyclist in World Tour teams from 2018, known for his world-class aerobic endurance, Jimmy moved away from the peloton to return to his childhood sport of running. Less than a year after retiring from cycling, Jimmy clocked an impressive 61-minute half marathon in Valencia on debut, signalling his arrival as a serious contender and making headlines in the process.
Making waves across social media for his effortless-looking running stride, determination and adaptability, Jimmy’s bold progress isn’t going unnoticed. His lofty ambitions reflect his journey so far, with a target of being selected for the 2028 LA Olympic Games Marathon. 2026 has already seen Jimmy pace colleagues in the Paris, Barcelona and London Marathons, gaining valuable experience in the build-up towards his debut marathon later this year.
As part of the Suunto global athlete team, Whelan will use Suunto’s innovative tech to guide his training, support recovery and optimise race-day execution. The Finnish brand’s ongoing mission with their athlete roster is to champion runners across both trail and road disciplines in the hunt for performance.
“Jimmy’s progress as an elite runner is exactly the kind of bold progression we celebrate at Suunto” said Dan Southam, Head of Regional Marketing at Suunto “To transition into a relatively new sport and immediately perform at such a high level speaks volumes about his talent, discipline and mindset. We’re thrilled to support his journey and can’t wait to see him take to his debut marathon”.
Speaking about the partnership, Whelan said “Coming from a cycling background, I’ve always been used to having valuable data at my fingertips for training and racing. Joining Suunto gives me the tools to bring that analytic approach to my run performance too, and train with precision as I chase some big goals in the early phase of my professional running career.”
For more information about Suunto please visit Suunto.com
For media inquiries, or interview requests, please contact:
Sam Begg
Aspire PR
sam@aspirepr.co.uk
About Suunto
Suunto is a Finnish brand, established in 1936. It was founded by Finnish inventor Tuomas Vohlonen, who pioneered a new standard for navigational precision. That same year, his innovation – a field compass – was stronger, steadier, and more accurate than any other handheld navigational tool of its time. It was the first of many Suunto products built to withstand the harsh conditions of our native Finland.
In the near century since, Tuomas’s spirit of innovation has continued to chart Suunto’s course. From some of history's first dive computers and high-altitude wrist altimeters to today’s GPS watches, Suunto remains a trusted companion for outdoor adventurers across the globe.
Supporting explorers, athletes, and weekend warriors alike remains our core mission – providing the tools to dive deeper, climb higher, and push the limits of human potential.
