TEAM GB AND PARALYMPICSGB ON TRACK FOR SUCCESS IN STYLE AT RIO 2016 WITH NEW KIT BY ADIDAS AND STELLA MCCARTNEY

• High performance outfits on average 10% lighter (than 2012 kit) to help athletes go further and faster
• 2012 kit designer Stella McCartney returns with bold British design featuring a specially commissioned Coat of Arms
• Olympic and Paralympic medallists including Jessica Ennis-Hill provided input throughout two-year creative process

Today, adidas revealed the next generation, lightweight kit that the nation’s greatest sport stars will wear as they compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Designed by adidas Creative Director Stella McCartney; the Team GB and ParalympicsGB kit is a ground-breaking range of performance wear, combining the very latest in technical innovation with her signature modern design aesthetic.

The design features a new official and totally unique British Coat of Arms that has been specially created to act as a unifying symbol across the two teams and multiple sports, contrasting a traditional icon with a 21st Century look and feel.

Commissioned by adidas and created by The College of Arms, the new design includes references to all four home nations and has been granted to the British Olympic Association (BOA) and British Paralympic Association (BPA) for use by the governing bodies from 2016.

Alongside the coat of arms, the design features the red, blue and white colours of the Union Flag expressed through contemporary silhouettes and innovative textures, creating an imposing look that will stand out on the highest sporting stage.

Extensive consultation with athletes including 2012 Olympic and Paralympic medallists Jessica Ennis-Hill, Tom Daley and Laura Trott was a key component of the two-year creative design and testing process to ensure the kit is fit for the nation’s leading competitors.

Every element of the range features cutting-edge adidas technology, designed and developed to ensure it performs better than ever before. A new generation of lightweight, breathable synthetic ADIZERO® fabric has been used to create outfits that are on average 10% lighter than 2012, helping athletes go further and faster.

The different garments include adidas CLIMA® technology, specially-developed materials which conduct heat and sweat away from the body to ensure athletes stay dry, comfortable and can perform at their best. Whilst footwear for the track, road, and podium will feature the unrivalled energy return of adidas BOOST® technology.

Leading British athletes including Ennis-Hill, Trott, Daley, Gordon Reid, Max Whitlock, and Olivia Breen attended the reveal of the adidas Team GB and ParalympicsGB kit at the Seymour Leisure Centre in Marylebone, London on Wednesday 27th April, 2016.

Stella McCartney, Creative Director for the adidas Team GB and ParalympicsGB official kit, said: “The goal for Rio 2016 was to rewrite the rules of performance and design for athletes, allowing them to look and feel like champions on and off the field. The inspiration behind the design was this idea of contrasting British tradition with a modern attitude. The new Coat Of Arms, specially commissioned for this project, and traditional Union Flag hues sit alongside bold textures and modern silhouettes to create a strong identity and make the athletes feel like a team.”

2012 Olympic Gold Medallist Jessica Ennis-Hill said: “I’ve really enjoyed being a part of the creative process with Stella McCartney and adidas. It’s an amazing design and I think it will give British athletes a massive sense of pride and give us an edge in Rio."

2015 World Champion Gymnast Max Whitlock said; “When I first saw the kit in February last year I began my countdown to being able to put it on. It’s wicked. I can’t wait to compete in Rio wearing this design.”

Barry Moore, adidas UK Brand Director said: “Athletes are at the heart of everything we do at adidas. We’ve worked with our Creative Director Stella McCartney and top British athletes to create a kit that is not only lighter than at 2012 but also one that includes our CLIMA technology – innovations that will help Team GB and ParalympicsGB in their pursuit for medals in Rio.”

Bill Sweeney, BOA CEO said: “adidas have created yet another iconic look for Team GB. The detail that has gone into the creation of the huge range of technical and leisure products enables us to go to Rio as the best prepared team, with the perfect fusion of performance with style. Its eye-catching design means our fans will easily be able to pick out their favourite stars. With just 100 days to go this is a real moment of excitement on the journey to Rio.”

Tim Hollingsworth, CEO of the British Paralympic Association, said: “ParalympicsGB athletes wear their adidas kit with a huge amount of pride, which makes today’s launch incredibly exciting for every athlete focused on Rio. We’ve worked alongside adidas to create a range of kit that not only looks fantastic but also incorporates world class technology, helping our athletes to give personal best performances on the biggest stage for their sport later this year”

adidas Team GB replica apparel and fan-wear will be available from May 1st at www.adidas.co.uk and sports retailers.

Follow @adidasuk to keep up to date with British athletes on their journey to Rio.