Team GB athlete Keely Hodgkinson banned from wearing black catsuit at Olympics due to strict rule
Despite being 'a year in the making', British runner Keely Hodgkinson will not be permitted to wear her much-talked-about full-body speed suit at the next Olympics.
The 24-year-old made headlines at the Athlos competition in London last Friday (September 18) as she donned the all-black Nike catsuit and won the 800 metres.
Hodgkinson's unique outfit was pulled over her head and covered almost all of her body. Nike specifically custom-made it for the athlete, who is arguably best known for winning gold in the women's 800 meters at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Not only was the open-backed, 'couture-level' fit hooded suit visually striking, Nike said it makes her run faster.
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The sports company said that 'skin is slow', so the best way to 'maximize aerodynamic efficiency' is to 'double down on coverage'.
One expert told Telegraph Sport that if Hodgkinson had been wearing the suit at the European Championships, it might have propelled her to victory, making up the 0.2 second difference between her and Audrey Werro in the 800m final.
Unfortunately though, Hodgkinson will be unable to wear the suit at Los Angeles in 2028 because Team GB instead has a partnership with Adidas.
The sporting giant has been the official sportswear partner and kit supplier of Team GB since the 1982 games, meaning athletes are required to wear the team kit produced by Adidas.
The only exception comes with technical items, such as running spikes, which have less-strict rules.
Speaking of Team GB's partnership with Adidas, Kathryn Swarbrick, Senior Vice President of adidas Northern Europe, said: “We’re proud to announce the extension of our longstanding partnership with Team GB. Our 40-year collaboration shows the two brands’ commitment to elite performance and style."
After competing at Athlos last week, which she won with a time of one minute and 56.40 seconds, Hodgkinson told BBC Sport the custom outfit had 'been like a year in the making', adding: “It's a mixture of fashion and speed and science all coming together for maybe the future of athletics.
“It was a real honour for them to choose me to put this out first. We weren't sure when we were going to wear it.”
The hooded speed suit featured long sleeves, a cut-out on the back and a 'non-negotiable' for Hodgkinson - an opening for her iconic ponytail.
“The science was like technically with the air drag you're slower with your hair out, but I was like, 'that's a non-negotiable. My hair is staying out'. I'm very much 'look good, feel good' [and that] mental and physical balance,” she said.
Nike's Vice President of Innovation Apparel Product Design, Dan Farron, echoed this by explaining that as well as designing for athletic performance, they're 'also designing for pinnacle expression'.
“Keely’s an athlete who’s unafraid to take risks; she’s bold and vivacious. This speed suit is a reflection of who she is. It’s sport and style in equal measure,” he said.
Hodgkinson seemingly suggested the world wouldn't get to see the black catsuit at the next Olympics.
"We might know some things that people don't. It was a test out there. This is not something we haven't seen before," she told press after her win.
Callum Jones