I must have a pair of Nike Shaolinquans. MUST HAVE.
IN designing the uniforms and footwear for the Beijing Olympics, Nike worked closely with the China Olympic Committee, the China Federations and the athletes themselves. In Beijing alone, hundreds of feet were scanned to determine the specific morphology of Chinese feet.
The Nike Sports Research Lab collaborated with research institutions in Beijing and Shanghai to look into the most common injuries in sports. Nike also interviewed the athletes about their likes and dislikes in terms of equipment. Performance-enhancing technologies such as Aerographics, Flywire and Lunarlite foam were integral to the creation of the apparel and footwear for Beijing 2008.
Throughout the four years of development, 22 federations and 54 designers were involved, and a total of 22 uniforms and 32 pairs of footwear were created. Here are some of them:
Nike Hyperdunk
The revolutionary Flywire technology and minimal use of material have made this Nike’s lightest and strongest basketball shoe. The design process took into account the fact that a 90kg player jumps and lands with a force of 900kg. Then there are lateral forces that comprise side-to-side cutting and 45-degree lateral moves. In early testing sessions, the Nike Sports Research Lab used a prototype that was as minimal as a ballet slipper but the shoe exhibited resilience and prevented the athletes from inverting their ankles.
The Hyperdunk also combines Flywire with another new Nike technology called the Lunarlite foam that cushions the forefoot.
The Hyperdunk weighs only 369g, which is 85g lighter than the average basketball shoe.
Basketball apparel
Working with players from the United States, Germany and China, Nike designers re-examined and redesigned the basketball uniforms. Taking a cue from Nike Swift technology, seams were repositioned to the back of the jersey. And by removing 25cm of fabric, the weight of the jersey was reduced by 31%, making it lighter and more aerodynamic.
Aerographics was used to put mesh directly into the jersey and shorts without the need for extra materials, thus making them comfortable and cool.
Nike Swift Suit
Having tested over 200 fabrics, Nike designers came away with very detailed knowledge such as which material works best with turbulence in specific events, just by the speed of a sprinter’s hands. With this, they created the Nike Swift Suit. Again, seams were moved to the back, and the Aerographics mesh system was used for cooling. The suit has 7% more drag reduction than the one for Athens. It is made with 100% recycled polyester yarns.
Boxing apparel
Athletes have long improvised by using shoelaces to tighten the back of their jerseys or to hold the sleeves in place. The Nike designers kept their eyes on this, and used Track and Field technology to introduce a racer back jersey design. This anchors behind the shoulders, this allowing the athlete a wider range of movements. Side seams were removed, while to wick away sweat, Dri-FIT fabrics were used. Satin is the traditional material for the shorts, but Nike has used an advanced four-way stretch satin for better mobility.
Nike Machomai
Because boxing is so popular in China, boxing boots were the first footwear Nike designed for the Chinese Federation. The designers had to take into account the Chinese team’s smaller physique and the sport’s different format in Beijing, which is shorter and more precision-focused. So the Nike Machomai is the most lightweight and nimble boxing boot ever made. “Machomai” is Greek for fight.
By using mesh panels and reducing the thickness of the midsole and outsole, the designers managed to achieve reduction in weight. The new version of the traditional gum rubber soles is thinner and stickier than the old gum compounds. The Machomai is designed to maximise quickness, agility and manoeuvrability.
Nike Shaolinquan
Yes, there is a shoe made specifically for wushu, the 3,000-year-old martial arts of China. Learning from world-class athletes and coaches, the Nike designers created the Shaolinquan (Mandarin for martial arts) that weighs a mere 134.5g. It is constructed from premium kangaroo leather and features a modified herringbone pattern that maximises traction between the athlete’s foot and the wushu mat. A flexible, lightweight gum rubber outsole allows the athlete to pivot better on the forefoot.
The character wu (military) is on one side of the shoe, while on the back are characters that say “Hero inside. Release it."
