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From Kaptagat to the world.
It will cost you over sh. 1,900 to buy a similar pair of socks to the ones Kenyan athletes wore at the recently held Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan.
On Friday, September 3, international sportswear company, Nike made available Olympic Kits used by the Kenyan team in Tokyo.
A run through across Nike's website shows how expensive the products are for the average Kenyan. For example, the women's sports bra shown below is retailing at $60 (sh. 6,594).
The Nike running trousers cost $110 (sh.12,089) while the running vest retailed at $90 (sh9,891). Also available are running tights, which retail at $95 (Ksh10,440).
Other items being sold include warm weather jackets at $70 (sh.7,693), running t-shirts at $60 (sh.6,594), a dri-fit gear at $90 (sh.9,891). Notably, the prices are not inclusive of the shipping fee or duty.
The kit which was officially launched in February 2020 was met with mixed reactions from Kenyans.
An online petition to have Nike to redesign Team Kenya’s kit before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics surpassed its' 1500 signature target.
In the online petition, the petitioner described how Nike did a disservice to Kenyans by creating a kit not worth Kenya's stature.
"We must have our athletes, as they proudly stand at the podium to receive their medals, dressed in the most beautiful, patriotic uniform, befitting of our royal status in the world athletics stage," the petitioner wrote.
They continued by saying, "we cannot have them dressed in the ugly garb that Nike designs every year from the off cuts collected in the bins after they've designed other's sportswear (If they don't copy paste what they did the previous year that is)."
Kenya's performance at the Olympics
Despite the petition and the uproar, Nike did not redesign the kit as Kenyans departed for and participated at the Tokyo Olympics donned in the original wear.
Team Kenya won a total of 10 medals with four gold, four silver and 2 bronze. Eliud Kipchoge retained his Olympic Marathon title as Peris Jepchirchir claimed the women's race.
Faith Kipyegon became the first woman to win back to back gold medals with an Olympic record time in the 1500M race. Emmanuel Korir clocked 1:45.06 to take gold in 800M as Kenya continued their dominance in the race.
1,500M world champion Timothy Cheruiyot took silver as world record holder Bridgid Kosgei completed 1-2 sweep in the Women's marathon.
World Champion Hellen Obiri was second best to Ethiopian born Dutch Sifan Hassan in the 5000M race. Ferguson Rotich claimed silver in the 800M.
Benjamin Kigen and Hyvin Kiyeng took bronze in the Men's and Women's steeplechase respectively.
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