HODGKINSON'S NIKE CATSUIT RULED OUT FOR 2028 OLYMPICS

Keely Hodgkinson will not be permitted to wear the Nike "catsuit" she debuted at last Friday's Athlos event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, according to reports following her appearance in the outfit. Hodgkinson won the 800m race at the all-female event by more than two seconds while wearing the garment. The runner said she felt nervous before wearing it, adding that shades she wore helped her block out the noise, and that the process of developing the suit had been "like a year in the making" with the Nike innovation team. She described the design as a mixture of fashion, speed and science.

The outfit cannot be worn at the Olympics because Team GB has a long-standing kit partnership with Adidas, a rival to Nike, reports said. That partnership has been in place for more than 40 years, according to the reports. Because the catsuit is a Nike product, its use by Hodgkinson at the Games would conflict with that sponsorship arrangement, meaning she must instead wear kit supplied by Adidas. The suit's style has been compared to the outfit worn by Australian runner Cathy Freeman when she won gold at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

The restriction applies specifically to British athletes bound by the Team GB kit agreement, according to the reports. Nike is not prevented from seeking approval to introduce the suit for other athletes at the Los Angeles Games. Hodgkinson and her team reportedly regard the design as compliant with competition rules and believe it represents a future direction for athletics apparel. No timeline for any wider rollout of the suit beyond Hodgkinson has been confirmed in the reports.