'Lower Goat Intestines' ... Not Exactly Nike's 'Just Do It'
Shoe wars are sure to be a theme during the next three weeks of the Olympics. And equipment issues are certain to take center stage as early as Sunday when Michael Phelps, in his Speedo RZR, seeks his first of perhaps eight gold medals.
Nike, which has lost out to Speedo in the pool, is poised to make the largest impression on the track, when the centerpiece Olympic track and field competition begins Aug. 15. But every U.S. athlete will sport a Swoosh, and all medal winners will wear Nike warm-ups.
Adidas has outfitted the thousands of Chinese volunteers.
Nike is the official supplier to the U.S. Olympic track team, but the Beaverton, Ore., company also has the high-profile teams of China, Kenya, Russia and Germany.
As are all manufacturers, the Swoosh machine has made adjustments for these Games, making its shoes lighter and lighter. John Truax, Nike’s global track and field product manager, noted that the one-year-old Zoom Matumbo, worn by U.S. distance runner Bernard Lagat, is referred to as the 3-ounce shoe, which Nike claims is the lightest track spike in the industry. It uses the company’s “Flywire” technology, which allows for featherlight shoes.
Lagat actually named the shoe, which means “lower goat intestines” in Swahili, Truax said. That part of the goat is considered a delicacy, but Truax said, “We have to run everything through our legal department. They questioned that name a bit.”
By the way, Nike launched a new TV commercial Tuesday, mixing some R&B, nationalism and hoops: It features the late Marvin Gaye’s version of the national anthem.
