With less than four months to the opening ceremony at the Rio Games, the Australian Olympic Committee have unveiled the Australian uniform.
“I like it, it’s very vintage, it’s very Rio,” said track cycling hopeful, and London Olympic bronze medallist, Kaarle McCulloch.
According to Taliqua Clancy, who will make her Olympic debut in the beach volleyball competition, the design is “very Rio".
The Australian Olympic Committee has worked with clothing manufacturer Sportscraft for two years to design the uniform.
“The uniform galvanises us as an Australian Olympic team,” said Chef de Mission Kitty Chiller.
“It’s who we are and how we’re represented... It’s perfect.
The Rio uniform is seen as an extension of the attire worn in London four years ago.
“It was taking those classic iconic traditional elements – of the blazer, especially, from London which everybody loved – and making it relevant to the Rio environment," Chiller said.
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History has dictated the importance of designing a uniform that is striking in appearance.
“Most significantly the blazer signifies what it means to be an Olympian,” Chiller said.
“Our athletes train for years for the right to earn that blazer, and they’ll cherish that blazer for the rest of their life.”
For now, the athletes are in the process of preparing and trying to win selection for Rio.
While some sports having already finalised their respective squads, others are still to be announced ahead of August when the Games take place.
And modelling the uniform doesn’t necessarily guarantee automatic selection, as McCulloch fully understands.
“This gives me the motivation than anyone could ever because this makes it real and makes me realise this is why I do what I do," she said.
This is why I get up early in the morning, this is why I lift heavy weights. So this is the motivation I need to ensure I’m on that team," McCulloch said.
The Australian cycling team is expected to be announced on June 27.
