From University Labs to World Championships 

John’s path to professional athletics wasn’t traditional. Before fully committing to running, he completed an MSc in Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and only later realised how far his athletic potential could go.

“I didn’t grow up with the dream of becoming a professional athlete. Athletes were just something you’d watch on TV,” he explains.

Originally a field hockey player, John switched sports at 18 after realising he wanted more than a second-team role.

“I’m competitive, I wanted to get into the national team. I didn’t want to end in the second team… So, I changed sport.”

What started as a university decision quickly snowballed into international championships, world events and eventually an Olympic dream.

Work Hard, Play Smart? How John used AI to qualify for the Olympics  

Perhaps the most fascinating part of John’s journey came during his push for Olympic qualification. When John shared his journey on his Instagram account about utilising AI to qualify for the Olympics, many assumed he used this to create an optimised training plan. But his approach went far beyond that.

He treated qualification as a mathematical optimisation problem and used AI to help solve it.

“I looked at all the parameters which define world ranking points… and that’s where I used ChatGPT.”

The model he created with AI analysed the impact of three factors on world ranking points: competition category, finishing position, and race time. In other words, the AI tool helped him understand which race combinations would maximize his ranking points based on how each factor contributed. With that, the model showed him the most strategic route to qualify for the Olympics in Paris.

And the outcome speaks for itself: 

Why PUMA Stood Out 

For John, choosing a sponsor was never about signing quickly. It was about finding the right performance partner.

“When I partner up with brands today, the first thing I look for is performance. Performance is number one, financials is number two.”
 
He openly admits he turned down offers for years while searching for the right shoe.

“I’ve been approached by other brands, tested them out, and when I was not happy with the shoes, even though they were giving me a very good contract I said sorry, but my dream of performance is bigger than any monetary value.”

When he tested PUMA running shoes last August before the World Championships, he realised he had found what he was looking for.

And the adventure is just starting.

Working on New Innovations 

Now as an official PUMA athlete, John shared he’s especially excited about collaborating directly with PUMA’s product and innovation teams.

For an athlete driven by data, feedback and continuous improvement, that collaborative approach fits perfectly.

John’s Perfect Shoe  

When asked what his go-to running shoes are, John responds in true analytical fashion:

“I have a couple of favourite shoes I like and for different reasons. I love the PUMA Magmax line- they have crazy cushions. They are the best for the day after a tough track session, when my muscles are sore. Then in terms of performance, the Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3 are crazy fast, so they’re clearly my favourite shoes. I also know PUMA recently released a new shoe, the Deviate Elite 4. I’ve tried them and they’re great too- they’re super light. 

The Deviate Elite 4, together with the Fast-R NITRO™ Elite 3 are my favourite ones.”

Regarding performance features, John states that a lot of different elements come into play, but in the end, “It’s a mix of aggressivity, which I need to run five to ten kilometres, and energy return. The energy return is crazy good. PUMA running shoes are known for that. NITRO™ is the best foam on the market in terms of energy return.”

What’s Next: Is AI the Future of Athletic Performance? 

Speaking as a true engineer, John sees an even bigger AI revolution coming, one driven by biological data.

“AI will be used more and more in high-level sports… but for AI, you need data points.”

Today’s wearables, like your health or fitness tracking smartwatches, measure mostly physical metrics. Tomorrow’s sensors, he believes, could go one step further and track internal biological signals- hormones, glucose, lactate and recovery markers- enabling highly personalised training and recovery insights.

The Driving Force Behind his Motivation 

Despite the science, algorithms and innovation, John’s motivation remains simple: “I’m convinced that pushing the limits is part of my personal happiness.”

“For me, the real reward comes from the struggle- failing, trying again, and finally achieving something. That feeling is one of the foundations of happiness.”