TYR Sport Inc. today announced the signing of Amanda Weir to the company's longest athlete sponsorship agreement in the history of the company in both duration and financial commitment. Last semester, Weir announced her intention to leave USC to turn professional.  Now the Olympic Silver Medalist and American Record enjoys a multi-million dollar investment in direct cash compensation, incentives, marketing, advertising and public relations from TYR, and makes her one of the highest -paid Olympic athletes in the world.

In 2004, Weir captured two Silver Medals at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games. Her first medal was in the 400m Free Relay where she helped to set an American Record and the second in the 400m Medley Relay. This past summer, Weir swam faster than any American in history in the 100m Freestyle at U.S. National Championship in Irvine, Calif. Her incredible Gold Medal victory at Nationals sealed her spot as the dominant female on the 2007 U.S. World Championship team, which will compete at the FINA World Championships in Melbourne, Australia in March 2007.

"It’s great to have Amanda join the TYR family. We have followed her career for years, and we are passionate about people who set the bar high. Her accomplishments so far are just a glimpse of her incredible talent. The U.S. needs to regain its dominance in sprint freestyle and Amanda clearly represents the future of American freestyle swimming,” said Steve Furniss, executive vice president, TYR.

"When the opportunity presented itself to turn pro and focus on my goals for the 2008 Beijing Games and beyond, I was very excited about the prospects of working with TYR. They treated me with respect, offered me an opportunity to fulfill my dreams and will allow me compete in the best suit in the world while I mentor with some of the most talented designers in both swimwear and apparel! I have always been a person to push the boundaries and TYR is exactly that type of company. TYR Sport has offered me an opportunity of a lifetime and I jumped at it.  It’s an honor to join many of my USA team members and carry the TYR logo on my suit” said Weir.

Weir, who hopes to some day become a fashion designer herself, will further her design experience through active involvement in TYR’s next Olympic swimsuit technology. The American Record holder will explore her passion for fashion with TYR and its parent company Swimwear Anywhere™ who designs, licenses and manufacturers 14 couture and performance swimwear lines as exampled by Juicy Couture™, DKNY™, and Carmen Marc Valvo™.

Among her notable accolades, Weir is recognized as a three-time U.S. National Champion, two-time Olympic Medalist, four-time World Championship Medalist and three-time American Record holder. In 2003, at only 17 years old, she set a Pan-American Games record for her lead-off split in the Gold Medal winning 400m Free Relay.

In college, the Georgia native competed in the maximum seven events allowed by the NCAA and anchored every winning relay to help the University of Georgia, Lady Bulldogs capture the 2005 NCAA Championship. Weir currently trains in her hometown of Atlanta preparing for the 2008 Olympics with her longtime coach Chris Davis and Swim Atlanta. Watch for Weir at her next major competition, the FINA 2007 World Championship in Melbourne in March.

Weir joins a long, rich heritage of Olympians associated with TYR including Gold Medalist Yana Klochkova, Silver Medalist Erik Vendt, Silver Medalist Martina Moravcova and 1976 Olympic Swimming Team Captain Steve Furniss are among TYR’s prestigious community.  

TYR (pronounced tier).  Named after the mythical Norse god of warriors and deity among all athletes, the TYR brand embodies the competitive spirit of sports and is a symbol of courage and victory.  Co-founded in 1985 by Olympic medalist Steve Furniss, TYR has passionately dedicated itself to redefining the next generation of performance and recreational swimwear and accessories, while continuing to be the model of leading edge innovation and style.