Nocturnal 
Keely Hodgkinson’s eye-catching all-black catsuit stopped the athletics world in its tracks at Athlos in London last week. Trouble is, she won’t be allowed anywhere near it when she lines up to defend her Olympic title in Los Angeles in 2028.
The reigning 800m Olympic champion debuted the sleek Nike outfit at the season-ending Athlos event on 18 September, storming to victory in 1:56.40. The full-body suit, which pulled over her head and covered her from palms to ankles with an open back and a specially designed gap for her signature ponytail, immediately went viral.
But as first reported by the Daily Mail and confirmed across multiple outlets including the Mirror and GiveMeSport, Hodgkinson won’t be able to wear the bespoke design for Team GB at the LA Games because of a decades-long sponsorship arrangement.
Why the catsuit is banned
Team GB has had a kit partnership with Adidas stretching back around 40 years, according to the brand. That means British athletes are contractually required to wear Adidas-designed team kit when competing at the Olympics, with only “technical” items like running spikes exempt from the rule.
Since Hodgkinson’s catsuit is a Nike creation, engineered specifically for her, it clashes directly with that sponsorship deal. The same restriction would also apply at next year’s World Athletics Championships, according to the Sun.
A Team GB spokesperson said: “Supported by our partners and in tandem with our sports, we have always worked to provide athlete-centred and innovative kit that supports our teams to perform at their best at both the Summer and Winter Games. We’re confident and excited about what’s ahead and the developments we’re working towards for future Games, including Los Angeles 2028.”
Adidas Northern Europe’s senior vice president, Kathryn Swarbrick, also reaffirmed the tie-up, calling it a “40-year collaboration” that “shows the two brands’ commitment to elite performance and style”.
What Hodgkinson has said about the suit
Hodgkinson worked with Nike’s innovation team for around a year to perfect the design, and admitted she was nervous stepping out in it for the first time. “I was a little nervous, walking out. The shades helped me block out the noise, but it was really fun, and it’s something I’ll remember forever,” she said, adding the process was “a mixture of fashion, speed, and science all coming together”.
She’s also spoken about the aesthetic side of the design, saying: “The style was a big thing. I wanted it to be comfortable but also to feel a little bit sexy. The back is open. It makes it cool. I am not hot at all in it. It’s like I am wearing nothing.”
A UK Athletics spokesperson said the suit “was a bespoke Nike design created specifically for her”, adding the governing body remains “in regular dialogue with Nike regarding all aspects of performance apparel” for future events.
Where things stand now
Interestingly, teammate Georgia Hunter Bell has suggested similar Nike designs could still find their way into Team GB kit through official channels. “That’s going to be an option you can wear for the Olympics, when we get our kit drops for Team GB. It’s exciting to showcase it now,” the 1500m runner said.
For now, though, Hodgkinson is set to race in Adidas kit at LA 2028, regardless of how the catsuit performed at Athlos. Whether Nike rolls the suit out more widely for other athletes, and whether World Athletics ratifies it for competition, remains to be seen.
