We’ve seen plenty of incredible feats of human strength, speed, and endurance at this year’s World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary. And while being among the greatest athletes on the planet is undoubtedly impressive, we’ve kept a keen eye out for something more important than becoming world champion: having a cool uniform. Luckily, there’s no shortage of colorful, fun kits this year.
Here are some of our favorites.
Japan
Sponsored by the Japanese footwear company Asics, Japan’s national team always has some of the sharpest uniforms at the World Champs or Olympics. This year’s kits look fast. From the angular lines in the background to the italicized “Japan” on the front, the distance running (and walking) powerhouse has been making a splash in Budapest. Bonus points to Ririka Hironaka for the sleek white cap she wore in the 10,000 and 5,000 meters.
Guatemala
Luis Grijalva rocked a baby blue and white kit in the first round of the men’s 5,000 meters on Thursday en route to winning his heat in 13:32.72. The 24-year-old has an interesting story. His family immigrated to California from Guatemala when he was just a baby, where he went on the excel as a high school athlete, later leading Northern Arizona University to back-to-back NCAA cross-country championships. Grijalva is also a DACA recipient, which has caused him some issues while traveling outside of the U.S. But the Hoka-sponsored athlete has represented his native country well on the global stage, finishing fourth in the 5,000 meters at last year’s World Championships.
Aruba
Okay, I admit it: Aruba’s uniforms were the impetus for this article. The bright primary colors and patterned triangles are just so fun. You’ll only see one person reppin’ the small Caribbean island: 800-meter specialist Justice Dreischor. While Dreischor didn’t make it out of the first round of competition, he still made a lasting fashion impression. Now, he’ll return to his full-time job as a software engineer.
Morocco
Soufiane El Bakkali showed off his spiffy red-and-green kit to the world on Tuesday, winning the 3,000-meter steeplechase in 8:03.53. Morocco’s team is sponsored by Joma, which sponsors nine countries in Budapest, including Spain, Italy, and Mexico. They’re also known for making indoor soccer (AKA futsal) shoes. Where can I order a pair of green half tights?
Kenya
If you’ve watched any of the distance events, you’ve gotten a good look at Kenya’s kit, which might give you flashbacks to high school geometry class (what’s the word for a six-sided shape again?). Like most of the uniforms at Worlds, the singlet uses the same color scheme as the country’s flag, but it spices it up with some ribbed texture.
My favorite Kenyan garb, however, is not the race-day outfit, but the warm up tops. World record holder Faith Kipyegon sported the shirt on the practice track on Wednesday, along with another world record holder: retired 800 meter star David Rudisha (who looks 8 feet tall in this photo). The pattern kinda reminds me of a soccer ball.
Heat 2 of the 100-meter preliminary rounds
At major global championships like the World Championships and Olympics, small nations are often given a lane—known as “universality places”—to promote the sport in developing or tiny countries. While these athletes might not be at the same level as the medal winners, it’s inspiring to see them out there giving their country some exposure—and of course, showing off their cool uniforms. Nauru, Nepal, Malaysia, and Belize had some of my favorites in the 100-meter prelims. Now, I just need to find them on a map.
Theo Kahler is the news editor at Runner’s World. He’s a former all-conference collegiate runner at Winthrop University, and he received his master’s degree in liberal arts studies from Wake Forest University, where he was a member of one of the top distance-running teams in the NCAA. Kahler has reported on the ground at major events such as the Paris Olympics, U.S. Olympic Trials, New York City Marathon, and Boston Marathon. He’s run 14:20 in the 5K, 1:05:36 in the half marathon, and enjoys spotting tracks from the sky on airplanes. (Look for colorful ovals around football fields.)
