Olympic runner Hodgkinson defends striking black Nike catsuit

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 9 Oct, 12:19 · Archive

Olympic 800m champion Keely Hodgkinson has defended her all-black Nike catsuit, which she wore to victory at the all-female Athlos meet in London.

Keely Hodgkinson, the Olympic 800m champion, wore an all-black Nike catsuit at the all-female Athlos meet in London last month, which she won in one minute and 56.40 seconds. The suit features a tight hood with a gap for her ponytail, covers her from palms to ankles except for an almost entirely bare back, and is decorated with strategically placed iridescent spikes.

Hodgkinson said following the race that she wanted to feel 'a little bit sexy' while wearing the suit. She reportedly claimed it felt like she was 'wearing nothing' while running. Her coach Jenny Meadows described her as a 'fashion icon' and revealed that Nike had been speaking to Hodgkinson about the suit. Meadows said Hodgkinson's fellow coach Trevor Painter compared the look to Catwoman and encouraged her to wear it.

The outfit sparked debate across the sporting world, though nothing has emerged to indicate it falls foul of regulations. Hodgkinson has hinted she could wear something similar at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. However, she would not be allowed to wear the same Nike suit when representing Team GB at events like the World Championships and Olympics, as Team GB is currently supplied by Adidas as part of a deal that runs until the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane.

How it is being reported

• Keely Hodgkinson defends 'sexy' outfit she'll be banned from wearing for Team GBKeely Hodgkinson has hintered she could wear something similar at the next Olympics - but she may not be allowedMirror Sport · 9 Oct, 11:51
• Keely Hodgkinson defends 'sexy' all-black running catsuit - with Olympic champion feeling like she's 'wearing nothing' while runningHodgkinson's suit pulls over her head and covered her in the sleek material from palms to ankles - except for her almost entirely bare back - and was completed by iridescent spikes.Daily Mail Sport · 9 Oct, 07:49

In this story: Keely Hodgkinson · Jenny Meadows · Trevor Painter · Nike · Adidas · Team GB · Athlos · London

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem