Olympic and Paralympic insurance partner Allianz has held engagement activities and events with athletes in the run-up to Paris 2024 ©Getty Images

Olympic and Paralympic insurance partner Allianz has held engagement activities and events with athletes in the lead-up to the Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics.

The events took place at Allianz’s headquarters in Munich, Germany, and were held to coincide with the European Championships.

Fifty-seven athletes from 20 countries participated in the programme, which included talks from experts on topics including networking, financial literacy and how athletes can build their personal brands.  

Rio 2016 Olympic javelin champion Thomas Rohler was one of 30 Team Allianz ambassadors at the event, where he took part in a panel discussion on athletes’ careers beyond sport.

Twenty-seven members of Allianz’s Athlete Buddy Programme also took part, a programme that gives employees the chance to be mentored by an athlete, and athletes to prepare for life after competition.

"The practical, real-life advice provided at the event will be very useful both during and after my sporting career," said Irish Paralympian Mary Fitzgerald.

"Allianz is investing in the future of Olympians and Paralympians, which is very exciting and reassuring."

Rio 2016 Olympic javelin champion Thomas Rohler was one of 30 Team Allianz ambassadors at the event in Munich ©Getty Images
Rio 2016 Olympic javelin champion Thomas Rohler was one of 30 Team Allianz ambassadors at the event in Munich ©Getty Images

Italian triathlete Michele Sarzilla added: "The event was very inspirational, and it opened a lot of new thoughts in my mind.

"It also made me feel I belong to a big family, and I'm already looking forward to the next event."

Allianz is currently hiring athletes among its staff, with Djamal Hamache, former captain of Algeria’s wheelchair basketball team, and Amelie Stoll, a recently retired German judoka, among its new recruits.

Allianz is also continuing its MoveNow programme, a commitment to encourage physical activity and promote health and wellbeing through fitness, in the run-up to Paris 2024.  

The latest initiative as part of this programme was a Hackathon, featuring more than 100 participants from the Young Leaders Forum, and took place during Munich 2022.

Allianz started its eight-year worldwide partnership with the Olympic Movement in January 2021, with the agreement initially announced in 2018.

Allianz is scheduled to hold a Virtual Career Conference for Athletes on September 27, where participants can learn about the company, meet athletes working at Allianz and receive tips from recruiters.