Nike Inc. has unveiled part of their specialised design kit for Team Kenya for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
The global sports apparel manufacturing company launched the kit on Tuesday alongside all the other countries that they will be kitting to the global media in New York City, USA.
World 1,500m champion Timothy Cheruiyot modelled the running kit for men’s athletics team alongside models from other national teams including USA, Brazil and Nigeria.
The National Olympic Committee of Kenya (Nock) was represented during the New York City launch by President Paul Tergat.
“Witnessing the unveiling of the Team Kenya Kit to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics brings with it vivid memories of my pride and fulfilment when I donned the famous red, green and black national colours to the 1996 Atlanta Olympics as well as the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games,” said Tergat.
Tergat said that Kenyan colours as represented by the newly-designed kit are synonymous with our Olympics success.
“Our athletes have dominated the track and our boxers have left a mark on the ring at the Summer Games for decades,” said Tergat, adding that he is looking forward to watching the Rugby Sevens as well as the women’s volleyball teams excel when they parade the new design by Nike.
Tergat noted that there has always been a huge interest in Team Kenya merchandise and the Nock welcomes the move to have the kit on sale. “Our kit is among the most sought after across the globe,” said Tergat from New York City.
Nock acting secretary-general Francis Mutuku said the launch in New York was just a fraction of what Team Kenya will wear in Tokyo.
Mutuku explained that the rest of what rugby Sevens teams, women’s volleyball and swimmers will wear alongside the full range of other apparel are due for launch in April in Nairobi.
Mutuku said that for the first time the Nike merchandise will also be available to the public to purchase online worldwide and at selected stores starting July.
Unlike all other countries that have a similar design, Mutuku disclosed that Nike took Team Kenya’s kit as a special project for a unique design.
“When you look at the rest the design is generic rather the same but Kenya’s is different. Nike placed Kenya at a different position to summon some of their best designers to work on Team Kenya kit for the purpose of their ‘Summer Relief’ branding,” said Mutuku.
“Kenya’s kit has a theme that Nike wants to come out when a Kenyan athlete is competing or running for the worldwide viewership. That will be the centre of focus and motivation.”
Mutuku said that so far, everything is on course regarding the supply of the kit to Olympic athletes and that they are holding regular meetings to ensure that all the athletes, coaches and team officials get their training, competition and leisure apparel in good time.