Athletics and footwear manufacturer Puma on Saturday unveiled its Paris Olympics 2024 kit tailored exclusively for Jamaica’s athletes who will be participating at the upcoming summer games.
The kit, composed of six outfits, incorporates high tech fabrics and silhouettes engineered to maximise performance. It blends effortlessly with the national colours of green, gold and black.
Director of Running at Puma, Pascal Rolling told Observer Online that the designs unveiled are exclusive to the Jamaican team.
“Jamaica is such a dominant country and it is a pretty important part of the Puma family. Jamaica has got a very special design that nobody else will get. Other teams will get a different design,” said Rolling.
“So the design for Jamaica is unique and specific for the Olympic team,” he added.
Rolling noted that the timing of the Olympic synchronized with Jamaica’s Independence Day, which he said will be commemorated in a special way at the Puma house set up at the games in Paris.
“During the Olympics it is going to be a Jamaica celebration. On August 6, you have your Independence Day. During the day of Independence, we’ll have a special celebration. So a lot of the athletes, a lot of the officials, sponsors, people from the Athletic Association, people from the government will all converge at the Puma House in Paris to celebrate,” added Rolling.
Retired Jamaican sprint star Asafa Powell, who had a chance to view the kit ahead of the public unveiling at the Boys and Girls Athletics Championships, told Observer Online that the items were a good balance catering both to performance and style.
“It’s very important, you know, the way it feels, the way it fits,and your comfort level in the gear as well, because if we’re not comfortable this can impact performance. You have to be able to move freely and comfortably;so the gear is very important for performing,” said Powell.
“And as Jamaicans we always try to look the best and the outfits in the kit are good running gear. And I think we’re going to look the best out there when it comes to the Olympic Games” added Powell.
Women’s 400m hurdler, Rushell Clayton, who modeled one of the outfits contained within the kit, shared similar sentiments.
“ I love them, the outfits are amazing,” Clayton said, adding that her outfit was not only comfortable but was fashion forward.
Since 2002, Puma has sponsored the Jamaica Athletic Administrative Association and the Jamaica Olympic Association.