The 2024 Paris Olympics were nothing short of thrilling. Snoop Dogg and Martha Stewart hilariously guided us through the City of Lights with their unique blend of humor and charm. Athletes swam in the Seine, volleyball matches unfolded under the shadow of the Eiffel Tower, and breakdancing made its Olympic debut. The excitement was palpable, both for those in attendance and those watching at home. Reflecting on past Olympics and seeing how technology has evolved across sports is fascinating, but this year, something truly groundbreaking stole the spotlight.
Hellen Obiri, the phenomenal Kenyan distance runner and two-time Olympic silver medalist, made history—not just with her incredible performance but with her choice of footwear. Hellen sported the Cloudboom Strike LS from On, a sportswear company known for pushing the envelope. But here’s the twist: this wasn’t your typical sneaker. It was a spray-on shoe! Yes, you read that right. On has developed a revolutionary technology called LightSpray (LS), and it’s as fascinating as it sounds. Imagine a robot placing a foot form on its arm, then spraying on the entire upper part of the shoe in one continuous filament. The whole process takes just three minutes! Fast Company recently highlighted this game-changing tech, and it’s set to transform the world of sportswear.
So, what does this mean for athletes like Hellen Obiri? First and foremost, it promises a perfectly customized fit, crucial for comfort and peak performance. The efficiency and precision of the spray-on method could also revolutionize sportswear manufacturing, making it more sustainable by reducing waste and conserving resources.
Hellen’s decision to wear the Cloudboom Strike LS at the Olympics is more than just a fashion statement; it’s a bold move that showcases how technology can reshape athletics. She wasn’t just running for gold—she was running for innovation, making this a truly historic moment. And what a race it was! Hellen won the bronze medal in the Women’s Marathon for Kenya, setting a personal best with a time of 2 hours, 23 minutes, and 10 seconds—just 15 seconds shy of the gold medal! Hellen also secured back-to-back victories at the Boston Marathon (2023 & 2024) and triumphed at the New York Marathon (2023). Impressively, she became the first woman since 1989 to win both the Boston and New York Marathons in the same year. It should be noted that she did wear the spray-on shoe in the 2024 Boston Marathon.
But Hellen Obiri is more than just a remarkable athlete. She’s also a proud member of the Kenya Defence Forces, serving in the Air Force. After her victory at the 2023 Boston Marathon, she was promoted to Sergeant Major Warrant Officer II—a well-deserved honor. In her relentless pursuit of excellence, Hellen relocated from Kenya to Colorado in September 2022 to elevate her training. Her dedication and hard work have earned her significant recognition, including being named Sportswoman of the Year at the Kenya Sports Personality Awards in 2019 and Female Athlete of the Year by Athletics Kenya in 2017.
Hellen Obiri’s spray-on shoes are a perfect example of how technology can shake things up—not just in sports, but in so many areas, like medicine. When we step outside the box and challenge what’s considered normal, we open the door to incredible possibilities that can change the game. Whether it’s improving athletic performance or transforming patient care, innovation is the key to progress.
So, let’s take a page from On’s playbook and start thinking about how we can bring that same forward-thinking mindset into our own fields. How are you disrupting the norm and making an impact? The future is wide open, and it’s up to us to shape it. Let’s get to work!
To learn more about the making of the shoes check out the resources below.
Sources:
https://olympics.com/en/paris-2024/athlete/hellen-obiri_1932851
https://www.on.com/en-us/products/cloudboom-strike-ls-u-3ue3001/unisex/white-flame-shoes-3UE30010256
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