Oiselle’s first-sponsored athlete, Kate Grace, signs with Nike
Olympic 800m finalist Kate Grace signed with Nike following a four-year stint with women's apparel brand Oiselle.
Olympic 800m finalist Kate Grace has signed with Nike after a four-year stint with Oiselle.
The 28-year-old U.S. 800m champion was the first athlete signed by the Seattle-based women’s brand. That relationship began when they signed her back in 2012. Last year was arguably her best year to date after she finished eighth at the Olympic Games and running 1:58.28. Canadian Melissa Bishop set a Canadian record (1:57.02) finishing fourth in the same race.
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Grace first confirmed the news on Jan. 28 when she tweeted out that she would be wearing a “new uniform” while competing at the University of Washington. Grace wore an unbranded black uniform at a previous Seattle meet in January as it’s believed she was still in contract negotiations.
https://twitter.com/fastk8/status/825466691823955969
Just crushing the 3k. NBD @fastk8. 8:46.26!!!!! #UWPreview pic.twitter.com/TGsfoIzSRX
— Heather Stephens (@FeatherStephens) January 15, 2017
Since her first indoor track appearance in the new attire, she has explained her reasoning for the decision to Twitter followers. “My last contract had an end point, that’s what it means to be a contractor not [an] employee,” she wrote. “I’ll assume that most sponsorships in this career will have a written end date, not consider it being dropped.”
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“Until that time, I’m a pro, [it’s] up to me to negotiate sponsorships that I am happy with to support my training,” she continued. “I’m grateful to athletes’ rights advocates who have spoken up, about what to ask for in contracts to protect yourself and I understand the differing opinions. Just trying to do me.”
New kit
Oiselle, which supports Canadian athletes Sasha Gollish and Catherine Watkins among others, paid tribute to Grace in a blog post recently.
Kate Grace @fastk8 winner 2:02.29 800m @NorCal_Distance @YaleTF_XC @Marlborough #USATF #IAAF #UWInvitational 28 Jan 2017 pic.twitter.com/2YV6fITtwm
— T&F Photo #Tokyo2021 #Tokyo2020 #東京2020 (@TaFphoto) January 29, 2017
“Excellence creates opportunity,” the blog post reads. “And brilliance creates more opportunity. It is with bittersweet pride that we cheer on Kate Grace as she flies off with new wings. Kate, our original bird, you brought us with you on your journey: the excitement of first success, the depression and frustration of injury, the silly dances, the starting line facial grimaces, and the most triumphant victories. From goofy to majestically elegant, uncertain to dominant, awkward to powerful, you shared with us the fullest possible range of the human experience. We will never forget. Fast K8, you will always be part of Oiselle’s DNA and family. Thank you, and bon chance. Fly, Kate full of Grace.”
It’s an interesting development as Oiselle and the United States Olympic Committee were in a feud last summer during the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials. The USOC demanded that Oiselle take down social media photos as they included trademarked logos. Team USA and the United States Track and Field Association are sponsored by Nike.
Grace won her first race as Nike athlete running 2:02.29, a facility record, at the UW Invitational 800m at the Dempsey on Jan. 28.
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