Seiei is Japanese for "elite" and the new campaign, which will be rolled out over the summer across all forms of media, will feature Brazilian football star Hulk and Italian swimmer Federica Pellegrini.

Mizuno has historically acquired the services of some of the biggest names in sport, including tennis player Ivan Lendl, golfer Nick Faldo and footballer Rivaldo, while Fredericks and Gunnell also reached the pinnacle of their careers while competing in Mizuno products.

"If it wasn't for Mizuno then a young man from a little-known country wouldn't have had the chance to compete at the highest level and achieve one of life's greatest moments," said Fredericks, now an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member who claimed 100 and 200 metres silvers at Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996.


Gunnell also praised the brand.

"Mizuno helped me to reach my moment in Barcelona by simply having the best technology, the right equipment and, most importantly, the best shoes," she said.

"Even 20 years ago they were so advanced in their technology and they have always been leading in that area."

The new Seiei campaign focuses on what goes on behind the scenes and looks at areas such as the synergy between Mizuno products and the athlete.

In support of the campaign, Mizuno will launch the Seiei Collection on June 1 with the new range set to be worn by a number of Mizuno's current crop of elite athletes.

Making up this limited edition footwear range are running shoes, such as the Wave Lightning RX and Wave Tornado 7 for volleyball, the Wave Stealth 2 for handball and the Morelia Neo MD for football.


The Seiei Collection will be showcased at Mizuno's new Performance Centre during the London 2012 Olympic Games between July 24 and August 12 at the Centre Point Building in the capital.

"As a performance sports brand our DNA matches the athletes we work with," said Mizuno's European head of sport, Tomohiro Ota.

"We are as one – expecting more and giving more to achieve these wonderful sporting moments that stay in the memory for a lifetime.

"It's a unique bond and the Seiei Collection is another indication of the evolution of products we continue to introduce to markets across the globe."

The dominant colour of the Seiei Collection is purple, which was chosen as it is historically associated with top-ranked personnel in Japanese society and is seen as an appropriate shade to associate with elite athletes.

A secondary, more luminescence, yellow colour represents energy in Japanese culture and is designed to express the energy radiated by Mizuno's elite athletes in competition.

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