ASICS, a Japanese sports equipment company, was established in 1949 by Kihachiro Onitsuka, a young shoemaker from Kobe, Japan. His ambition was to create and sell basketball shoes. The name ASICS is derived from the Latin phrase "Anima sana in corpore sano", penned by Juvenal, which translates to "a sound mind in a sound body".
The rise of Asics shoes started in 1951 with the Tiger model, sported by the athlete who clinched the Boston Marathon that year. ASICS manufactures footwear for a range of sports including running, volleyball, football, athletics, tennis, and more. The Asics "GEL" shoes feature soles infused with betagel, a silicone-based gel designed to cushion the shockwave produced by the foot striking the ground during a run.
The brand also boasts other innovative features such as the ComforDry Sockliner, Solyte technology, and the newly developed and patented flytefoam technology by Asics. Kihachiro Onitsuka led the company until his passing in 2007. Since 8th February 2008, Motoi Oyama, a former Japanese athlete, has been at the helm as the CEO of Asics. In February 2016, Asics purchased the Runkeeper app for $85 million, demonstrating its dedication to remaining at the cutting edge of sports innovation.