Typical Nike gear. We don’t know yet which design we’ll seek.
I wasn’t present for the announcement, but USATF CEO
Max Siegel told an early session of the Anaheim convention that Nike is boosting the Masters T&F budget by $75,000 to pay for uniforms for any American competing at WMA indoor or outdoor world meets. Amazing. On Thursday, national masters T&F chair
Gary Snyder had a little more information. The pledge is for two years, a total of $150,000. He’s seeking details on what kinds of outfits will be available and when. (We have a say in the design.) Gary says it’s too soon to expect all Americans to be wearing the same style at 2015 Lyon worlds, but the goal is to get Team USA to look coordinated. Images of our motley crew at Budapest indoor worlds were likely the “last straw, an embarrassment,” Gary said. Americans wore all manner of singlets, bodysuits and whatnot from different Olympiads, and this helped argue for the donation. Ultimately, every American competing at worlds will be wearing the same Nike-branded uni (in outfits appropriate to their event) or risk being disqualified in the call room. WMA will have its fashion police on alert to nonapproved national uniforms. In any case, being outfitted for free is a long-sought perk of masters track. If we represent our country, we might as well look the part. USATF finally has our back.
13 Responses
About time -I decent shorts or tights would be nice – or just a nice singlet or shirt would be welcome. A warm up suit is probably too much to hope for. We do look like a bunch of rag pickers when it comes to the parade for opening ceremonies or medal ceremonies with a wide variety os warm-up suits – some old Olympic gear, some local club gear, and some just “stuff”.
So – “appropriate for their event” – that part gives me a bit of a chill – so the current fashion of having elite women runners parading around in very revealing bikinis suitable for beach wear is not my idea of appropriate for some of us. I hope that someone representing masters athletes will have a bit of influence over what constitutes “appropriate for their event”. and what is appropriate for men and women who range in age from 30 to 100+ years of age and with very different body types than those of elite athletes. Revealing very short shorts, bra tops may be desired by younger women but not at all desired by some older women. Some countries provide very nice outfits for their masters runners – how about looking at those uniforms to see what might be appropriate in terms of styles for masters.
What a wonderful Christmas present for everyone that competes at such a lofty level.
Funny…..”an embarrassment”, really ! No help in the past for uniforms and the USA athletes still kick ass. Just shows you don’t have to be pretty to compete and win.
Hi, Mary. “appropriate for their event” was just my way of saying that uniforms will come in all stripes — not just plain vanilla shorts and tops. I doubt bikini briefs will be mandatory for the ladies.
whew Ken! just having a good time with this,but I would like to know who is designing these masters uniforms. When I was in Costa Rica last August it was interesting to see the uniforms worn by the athletes from Costa Rica and Trinidad and Tobaggo just to name a couple of countries. They were very attractive while the USA athletes had a mix of several generations of former US Olympic gear.
If there is to be a pot of money available it would be nice to have something attractive (although we may not all agree on what that might be.) And given that many of us will be force to buy still another singlet or shirt to meet the requirements for Lyon – maybe the process can be sped up so that we are not buying still another set of shirts, shorts, etc for Perth in 2016.
just as a matter of interest – the Brits have new uniforms – on the British Masters website – not that i am suggesting we copy them – but they have quite a variety of “kit” available – but they are not giving it away – it would be nice to have a similar amount of gear available – a choice of a basic top and bottom or speed suit for those who are going to a WMA meet for free and other items available for sale at a reasonable price, medal stand outfits, long sleeve shirts, tights, etc. And not keep changing the style every two years would be nice as well. Please move away from the Olympic outfit leftovers.
Mary, that is exactly what is proposed. Nike will be the designer and provider of the uniforms. You will be able to get regular jersey and shorts.
Athletes that want half tights and singlet, or a speed suit will have those options too. There are several people on the Masters Executive committee looking out for the athletes on this issue.
This is a big step forward! I hope it lasts much longer than two years…
My hope is that our masters athletes get gear identical or similar to that which the elite and youth athletic reps wear at their respective international competitions. Having been on seven elite national teams, including serving on the last two Olympic track team male staff, I have managed to cobble together items of national team gear for Irene not generally available for purchase at the close of the respective Olympaid. Hopefully that opportunity can be extended to everyone through this option.
hopefully this “free” masters team uniform for Lyon will be much better than the not so nice shirts given to the women competitors at the National Club X-C championship this past weekend. Apparently Nike provided the shirts and male competitors got rather nice long sleeve black shirts while the women were given white short sleeve see through shirts of a very odd cut. There was considerable effort on the part of a number of the women to swap the shirt for those given to the men but that failed due to lack of extra men’s shirts. The women’s shirts looked like something from a clearance box. The fabric was nice but I have enough “paint” shirts already and do not need another sloppy white shirt that is too long and with a very odd shaped neck. If this is any indication of Nike’s “design” intentions -it gives me a chill.
How do I receive USA UNIFORM TO COMPETE World Championships Lyon France?
I’ve written to muckymucks several times. Crickets.
Phil Greenwald should know eventually. He’s team manager.
Keep an eye on this post for possible answers:
http://masterstrack.com/2015/05/35913/
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