Matt Hughes leaves Nike

Canadian Olympic 3,000m steeplechase runner Matt Hughes announced Wednesday on Twitter that he has partnered with Hoka One One as he prepares to represent Canada at his second Olympic Games. In his tweet, the former Nike athlete says Hoka is “dedicated to running innovation and empowering athletes to reach their potential,” and he is looking forward to working with them.

RELATED: Canada’s Natalia Hawthorn signs with Brooks Running

TIME TO FLY!

I’m excited to finally announce that I have partnered with @hokaoneone as I prepare for my second Olympic Games.

I’m looking forward to working with a brand that is dedicated to running innovation and empowering athletes to reach their potential. pic.twitter.com/UXJMf7KsWN

— Matt Hughes (@HughesRuns) April 28, 2021

Hughes has had an impressive career so far, with many strong finishes at several international events, including winning the gold medal at the 2015 Pan Am Games in Toronto in the 3,000m steeplechase. He also owns the Canadian record in the event, which he set at the IAAF World Championships in 2013, in 8:11.64. This bettered the previous record of 8:12.58, which Graeme Fell set in 1985.

After missing the Olympic qualifying standard needed to compete in the London 2012 Games, the 31-year-old from Oshawa, Ont., came back to compete in the 2016 Games in Rio, where he placed 10th, Canada’s best-ever finish in the event at an Olympics. In 2019, Hughes moved home to Canada after spending four years in Portland, Ore., where he had been training with the Bowerman Track Club. Since then, he has been living and training in Toronto and has been advised by Dave Reid. As the Tokyo Games draw near, Hughes is undoubtedly looking to better his previous performance on the Olympic stage, and this new partnership will hopefully allow him to do just that.

RELATED: Hughes narrowly misses Canadian steeplechase record in Monaco