Less than a week after announcing the first 39 athletes to represent Team South Africa at the Olympic Games in Paris in July, the South African Sports Confederation, Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SASCOC), and their apparel partner, Mr Price Sport, on Tuesday unveiled the kit that will be worn by our athletes at the global event.
The kit launch was held at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site in Maropeng, in homage to the inspiration behind the designs, which feature a number of South African landmarks, as well as the natural flora and fauna found in the South African landscape.
The venue for the unveiling was equally inspired by the fact that the organisers of the Paris 2024 Games have selected a number of iconic venues for their events. The Eiffel Tower will be the venue for Beach Volleyball, and the Seine River will be used for the Opening Ceremony for the Olympics, as well as the open-air swimming competition. The Opening Ceremony for the Paralympics will be held at the Champs-Elysées and Place de la Concorde.
The Olympics will be staged from 26 July to 11 August, with 10,500 athletes competing across 329 events. The Paralympics will be held from 28 August to 8 September, featuring 4,400 athletes in 549 events.
The Paris 2024 Games promise to be spectacular. With this drive for inspiration, the Mr Price Sport design team embarked on creating a South Africa-inspired Maxed Elite collection of daily wear and technical gear. The design inspiration has also been incorporated into the opening ceremony clothing, which was all made locally in KwaZulu-Natal.
The relationship with Mr Price Sport started in 2021, with Team South Africa wearing Maxed Elite-branded kit for the postponed Tokyo 2020 Games. Team South Africa athletes also wore the Maxed Elite kit at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.
“Mr Price Sport is a truly unique South African brand, and having them kitting out our athletes and being our apparel partners on the biggest stage in sport shows that we’re all in this together. After all, we’ve seen so many times that we’re stronger together,” said SASCOC president Barry Hendricks.
“It only feels like it was yesterday that we began our relationship with Mr Price Sport, which highlights the impression they have made in the evolution of the Team South Africa brand.
Our athletes are now instantly recognisable, and envied, when they step out for the opening and closing ceremonies, the fields of play, and in day-to-day interaction.”
SASCOC CEO Nozipho Jafta added: “We have had a healthy relationship with Mr Price Sport, and our first involvement with them was with their Maxed Elite range for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics. Since then, our Team SA athletes have been competing and winning medals at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, the 2023 African Games in Accra, and now they will be dressed for success at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.
“Behind the scenes, we have a strong relationship with our partners, who have become part of the SASCOC family. We want to thank them for their support and their innovation, and it’s a great honour to be part of the Team SA journey with them,” Ms. Jafta added.
Mr Price Sport Head of Marketing, Philippa Feher commented, “What makes this partnership even more special is the union of the two proudly South African brands/teams, Mr Price Sport and Team South Africa coming together to compete on the world stage. What better way to unite a nation than through the “Power of Sport.”
Maxed Elite is Mr Price Sport’s premium brand, engineered for peak performance. The high- quality technical fabrications are designed to withstand the demands of intense training and competition, offering exceptional comfort and durability. The breathable fabrics and moisture-wicking technology are designed to keep you cool and dry, making it perfect for any athlete competing at their peak.
ISSUED BY SASCOC AND MR PRICE SPORT
