American track and field stars have backed Nike’s new Olympic kit despite initial fears that the clothing is too revealing.
A high-cut leotard that barely covered the bikini line was paraded at a launch event on a mannequin last week, prompting long jumper Tara Davis-Woodhall to comment on Instagram: “Wait my hoo haa is gonna be out”.
Many others then joined the condemnation but, after seeing the various outfits in person for the first time, Davis-Woodhall said that the problem was the presentation in photographs next to a men’s kit with long shorts.
“It was the picture that did no justice,” said the world silver medallist. “I saw one [of the uniforms] today. They’re beautiful. They’re not like the picture. The cut does look a little bit different on that mannequin. They just should have had a second look with someone to choose that photo to post.”
The sprinter Gabby Thomas, who won two medals at the Tokyo Olympics, agreed, saying that she was “initially shocked like everybody else” after seeing the pictures of the kit on a mannequin.
“I love competing in the brief,” Thomas said. “I think I love wearing as little clothes as possible just because you’re sweaty, you’re being really active and moving, so I love that we have the option to wear that, but we also have the option to wear any uniform we want. We could wear the men’s uniform if we really wanted to. So I’m comfortable with what they put out there. The initial shock was warranted, but I think no one has anything to worry about.”
