Nike Pro Elite 2024 Teal Tailwind Cap

28:54, 3:49.04 and the Kit Everyone Argued About

The 2024 generation had a launch, and the launch had an argument. On 11 April, at its Nike On Air show in Paris, Nike showed the Team USA track and field kit for the Olympic season — close to fifty pieces, twelve competition styles — and one of them, a women's unitard cut high enough on the mannequin to bare the hip, went around the world within hours. Lauren Fleshman called it a costume born of forces that no longer needed to be indulged to get eyes on women's sport; the steeplechaser Colleen Quigley said it was not made for performance. Nike's answer was the catalogue: athletes choose from the range, and pole vaulter Katie Moon, among others, said so publicly. The unitard was one option among twelve. It was also the first time in years that an athlete-issue kit had made the news for its cut.

Underneath the argument the cycle did what Nike cycles do: it went fast against the clock.

What it is

The 2024 cycle of Nike athlete-issue kit — dusk blue, plum and berry

The reveal

11 April 2024, Nike On Air, Paris — twelve competition styles, close to fifty pieces

Eugene

Chebet 28:54.14, 25 May — first woman under 29 minutes, 6.89 s off the record

Paris

Kipyegon 3:49.04, 7 July — her own record, by seven hundredths