When the most decorated 100-metre sprinter ever stepped to the line for a final time, she told herself what she knew: that she was prepared, powerful and this race was hers—for her. The next handful of seconds were to honour everything that had brought her to this moment.Green, yellow and black hair whipping behind her—a self-proclaimed "daughter of the soil", who chose to wear the colours of her nation's flag for her final finish—gold-hued&nbsp;nails splayed in front of her, <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-celebrates-shelly-ann-fraser-pryce" target="_blank">Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce</a> exploded off the blocks in the World Athletics Championship final in a capacity-filled Japan National Stadium in Tokyo. She ended her 100-metre career in the same way she began racing 18 years ago in Japan—with fierce speed, strength and composure. It was a bold tribute to Jamaica, the nation whose unyielding support has carried her through two decades at the top of the sport.In her decades of dominance—from becoming the first Caribbean woman to win Olympic gold in the 100 metres in 2008, to returning as World Champion in 2019 after giving birth to her son, Zyon—Shelly-Ann has embodied the power of duality.&nbsp;The ability to have longevity in athletics's shortest, most intense discipline; exuding femininity and self-expression in a physically demanding sport; proving motherhood and greatness can coexist.What athletes everywhere, and especially young girls, can take from Shelly-Ann's lead: the courage to run your own race, on your terms. To trust that setbacks don't define you, only your response to them. And the assurance that, if you believe in yourself and work with discipline, harmony is possible. Dreams and family, career and legacy.For that and for the now 276 incredible races and finishing line moments, thank you, Shelly-Ann.Below, go behind the scenes of the GOAT's final meet days in Tokyo.

The shoes. The hair. The finish. At the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Shelly-Ann, a five-time world champion, ended her career her way.

Sofieke van Bilsen is a 29-year-old Dutch photographer with a passion for storytelling through imagery. She is the in-house photographer for the German women's national football team, and was team photographer for the German Olympic Team in Paris 2024. She works closely with Nike athletes such as Faith Kipyegon, Eliud Kipchoge and Sifan Hassan.In her photography, she aims to create compelling visual narratives, focusing on the deep connection between emotion and athleticism. She strives to capture the raw moments behind the scenes, the untold stories of the journey and everything in between, bringing the spirit of sport to life.Sofieke's personality creates instant connections with people, and she is loved by the athletes she works with. Her relaxed and enthusiastic personality complements an incredible skill level and the ability to work in high-pressure environments for athletes.

Sofieke van Bilsen

Photo essay

Icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Ran Her Final 100 Metre On Her Terms

Over the course of his career, LeBron James has shared his passion for the game globally, partnering with Nike to travel throughout Greater China during his offseason, galvanizing a nation in its love for basketball and hoops culture. Just as LeBron's career has evolved through different eras, his tours have represented different values over the many times he's visited since 2005. Below are some of his most memorable moments in the country.

2005–2009

LeBron began his debut tour in Beijing in August of 2005. He was invited to watch the awards ceremony of the Nike Battlegrounds tournament, but he'd depart as more than just a spectator. From the moment he stepped down in China, he believed his tour could become a cross-cultural exchange rooted in a shared love of hoops and a mission to inspire the next generation of young players in China. "Basketball is not only a sport, it's also a bridge that connects people", he said.&nbsp;"This is a great learning experience for everyone. I hope I can continue to help grow the game globally and inspire the youth in China to reach their dreams".

LeBron's legacy in China is woven into special China-specific iterations of his signature footwear. In 2007, LeBron James appeared alongside NIKE, Inc.'s then-President & CEO Mark Parker to debut his Nike Zoom LeBron V "China" colourway.

LeBron returned to Beijing in 2009 after his MVP season, where he enjoyed a hero's welcome. As part of his trip, he donated equipment and provided scholarships for the Zhenhua School, a school for the children of migrant workers in suburban Beijing.

To celebrate his season, LeBron was presented with an exclusive pair of the Nike Air Max LeBron VII, featuring a Shenyang-inspired design dubbed "Loyalty" created by the local artist Ray Lei, and a Shanghai-inspired design dubbed "Family", created by the local artist Sic.

2011–2015

LeBron embraced his role as a global ambassador for the game, focusing on the opportunity to inspire China's young players. In 2011, his tour expanded to eight days over four cities, promoting grassroots basketball through a series of skill clinics and tournaments.

In 2012, with a fresh gold medal to pair with his championship ring, LeBron James made a triumphant arrival in Beijing to kick off a four-day tour as part of the&nbsp;Find Your Greatness campaign. "Greatness is defined by how much you want to put into what you do", said LeBron. "Greatness comes with victory. It also comes with being able to come back from adversity".

In 2013, LeBron returned to China with plenty to celebrate: his second straight NBA championship and MVP awards for both the regular season and the Finals.

In 2014, LeBron James was the first mentor to announce the roster for the Nike RISE, designed to help players raise their competitive game and improve their skill.

In 2015, Nike RISE 2015 evolved with LED Courts and motion-tracking drills to create a pinnacle training experience, teach the fundamentals of basketball and push the boundaries of sports training.

An emotional finale saw four players chosen to represent China at the World Streetball Championships.

2016–2019

After winning another NBA title in 2016, LeBron entered Guangzhou to a massive championship parade, the streets flanked by tens of thousands of fans, many of them in Cavs #23 jerseys. It was a signal for just how widely James's legacy had expanded throughout Asia.&nbsp;His More Than an Athlete campaign inspired young players to see basketball as one of many tools for affecting social change.

After a warm welcome from thousands of fans, he spent most of his time in Beijing working out with and coaching members of the Chinese Junior National basketball team.

Visiting primary schools throughout Beijing, LeBron shared his personal basketball experiences with young athletes, emphasising the role that hard work, dedication and self-belief played in his path to success.

In 2018, the first day of his "More Than an Athlete" tour in Shanghai began with a panel discussion with students at the Shanghai Theatre&nbsp;Academy, and ended with a park shootaround. Hundreds of fans gathered outside the court to watch him play, hoping to catch a glimpse of the icon.

This month, LeBron flew to China for his "Forever King Tour", his 15th in the country and marking the 20th anniversary of tours in Asia. There, he joined some of the world's most passionate hoopers and basketball fans, reiterating his commitment to giving back to the game across the world.

Over the course of his career, LeBron James has shared his passion for the game globally, partnering with Nike to travel throughout Greater China during his offseason, galvanizing a nation in its love for basketball and hoops culture.

Journey of an icon: 20 years of LeBron James in China

Hours of powering up steep ascents and navigating gnarly descents. Whipping mountain winds, glaring direct sun and biting evening temps. Getting mentally right with the fact that the next aid station is far, far away. Ultra trail running can sound like a gruelling, relentless sport reserved for the wildest, most hardcore athletes among us.According to our <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-acg-all-conditions-racing-department" target="_blank">All Conditions Racing Department</a> runners—six of whom just conquered pinnacle UTMB races across the French, Italian and Swiss Alps, on trails spanning 15 to 174 kilometres, with elevation gains of 1,200 to nearly 10,000 metres—the grit, determination, joy and freedom trail running gives you are worth every ounce of work. See for yourself.

<h3>ROSS GOLLAN</h3>Race: Experience Trail Courmayeur (ETC); 15K with 1,200m elevation gain Global finish rank: 29th

<h3>MARIE NIVET</h3>Race: ETC; 15K with 1,200m elevation gain Global women's finish rank: 7th

CESARE MAESTRIRace: ETC; 15K with 1,200m elevation gain Global finish rank: 2nd

<h3>BAPTISTE COATANTIEC</h3>Race: Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB); 174K with nearly 10,000m elevation gain Global finish rank: 11th

<h3>ANTHONY COSTALES</h3>Race: Courmayeur—Champex—Chamonix (CCC); 101K with more than 6,050m elevation gain Global finish rank: 15th

<h3>DREW HOLMEN</h3>Race: CCC; 101K with more than 6,050m elevation gain Global finish rank: 3rd

Powering up steep ascents. Navigating gnarly descents. Whipping mountain winds. Ultra trail running is a relentless sport. But the payoff is well worth the grind.

Ultra trail running can take everything you've got—and give you even more

Cameron was born in Rochester, New York, but grew up in the small town of Brighton, Michigan. Skateboarding and snowboarding were his life until he minted himself as a photographer. For the first 15 years of his career, after he moved to Los Angeles, he shot for skate brands almost exclusively, constantly pushing himself to capture a familiar subject in a fresh, dynamic way. It was like DIY photo school. Try never to be at ground level, and use everything around you to build a more interesting photograph in camera. Foreground elements, reflections, the grit of the street, sun flare, off-kilter perspectives, light trails—this creative restlessness culminated into a signature look that continues to evolve in exciting ways.His approach to visual storytelling envelops you in the moment. You feel like you're the runner trying to beat your personal best, hugging the curves of a racetrack on a motorbike, bouldering with your friends, cycling against a spectacular natural panorama or herding cattle at golden hour. "I like the challenge of making the product the focus but having each image feel honest and human", says Cameron.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Cameron Strand

Shoemakers. Cobblers. Stitchers. Pattern engineers. These are only a handful of the specialists inside Italy's Montebelluna and Diamant workspaces, where Nike partners with teams that guide a single football boot through 35 individual manufacturing steps. In about three hours, the shoe moves from pre-assembly to shaping and stitching to final build.This work represents the final stretch of a much longer journey—nearly two years of development, testing and refinement—to deliver Nike's pinnacle football boot, the Mercurial.Nike came to the region in 1996, drawn to a place long regarded as the best in the world for boot manufacturing. For three decades, Nike has relied on the expertise here to provide old-world Italian craftsmanship to complement its advanced footwear innovations, using hands as often as machines.Inside the Montebelluna sample room lives a one-of-a-kind collection of roughly 300 pairs of foot lasts. These custom forms honour more than 200 players who've shaped Nike Football, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Kylian Mbappé to Sophia Wilson. And while Montebelluna perfects the boot for Nike's most elite athletes, the process starts in the Diamant factory, where this year's Mercurial Vapor 17 and Mercurial Superfly 11 are made for footballers around the world.Every iteration of the Mercurial builds on what came before, raising the bar for speed, performance and confidence on the pitch. For the artisans who meticulously engineer these boots, the reward goes beyond turning a "prototype into a masterpiece", as one bootmaker put it. It's the pride and responsibility of knowing their work will be worn by football's elite athletes on the world's biggest stage.Here, go inside the Italian workspaces where the Mercurial comes to life.

<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/topics/nike-football-2026" target="_blank">See more of our universe of Nike Football.</a>

Shoemakers. Cobblers. Stitchers. Pattern engineers. They all partner with Nike in these unique facilities to perfect football boots—like the new Merc—for the game's most elite as well as everyday footballers around the world.

Inside the Italian Workspaces Where We Craft the Nike Mercurial Boot

About Nike—stories from inside NIKE, Inc.

At this year's Hyrox World Championships in Stockholm, Dylan Scott has unfinished business.One of the sport's most ferocious competitors, the former doubles world champion finished third at last year's Championships in Chicago. The Nike athlete, who now has his sights set on the coveted individual title, has competed at every World Championship since entering Hyrox in 2021. Each year, he has finished closer to the top. He arrives in Stockholm intent on finishing the job.&nbsp;That he's here at all is remarkable. At 17, a career-altering injury derailed his dreams of becoming an elite runner and the future he'd always imagined for himself. Years later, after rebuilding both physically and mentally, he discovered Hyrox almost by accident. What followed was a steady rise through the sport's ranks that eventually caught Nike's attention. Last year, another long-held aspiration became a reality when he signed with the brand he'd loved for years.He'll tell you that he's not the fastest or the strongest. But Scott has something that's harder to manufacture: grit.&nbsp;Here, in his own words, he reflects on resilience, identity and what it means to win the right way.

I come from Ninety Six, South Carolina—a town of about 2,000 people—and that place shaped the athlete I became.&nbsp;It's actually a revolutionary war battleground, and a lot of our training was out there at the historical site. I ran so many miles on that cross-country course that I could close my eyes and run it in my head. The secondary school track wasn't even six lanes—it was five and a half, because you got to the back, and half of it fell off a hill. The weights in the weight room were all rusty. It wasn't this pretty thing you get with Hyrox, this production. It was grit.&nbsp;You don't always have access to the best things, the best facilities, but if you put your head down, you can start climbing that ladder. I came from doing workouts with tractor chains in the yard to standing on podiums at world championships. That's pretty cool.When you come from a really small town and ascend to a world stage, it instills humility and gratefulness. You start experiencing all of these things that are so big, with so much grandeur to them, but you know where you came from.

It really broke me down as a person when I lost the ability to run. I got injured right before I turned 18. I spent my entire last year of sixth form either on crutches or in a cast, and at points in a wheelchair. It happened when I was running on a treadmill watching the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/how-steve-prefontaine-set-the-pace-for-nike" target="_blank">Prefontaine</a> movie. My iPod fell, I did a weird shuffle step and within 15 minutes my right foot was completely dead. Until that point, I had almost inextricably tied my entire identity to running. It was my emotional outlet, my social outlet, my sense of who I was. My sense of purpose was stripped away. I had to sit down and ask: "Who am I? What do I like? What else is going to occupy this space?"&nbsp;Over the four- or five-year span of recovering, my understanding of myself as a person grew so much. Looking back, I'm actually really, really thankful. As much pain as the injury caused me emotionally and physically, it created something in me as a person. It changed who I was and my entire perspective on life.Partnering with Nike was a dream I had that I'd almost let die. I'm so happy I didn't give up. The path I'd always imagined—running collegiately, earning it that way—wasn't going to happen after my injury. At some point, you have to look yourself in the mirror and go, "You're not enough at this. You're going to have to pick a different avenue". That fire had really dwindled down to where there was almost nothing left. But for some reason, it didn't completely burn out.When I did performance testing at the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/lebron-james-innovation-center-nike-sport-research-lab" target="_blank">LeBron James Innovation Center</a>, I was working with people who could give me insights I couldn't facilitate on my own at home. The things I could find out about my body, my abilities, things I should change. All of that within that building, it's astronomical. It really could be the difference between where I am now and where I need to get to win it all.

I don't just want to be a winner for the sake of being a champion. I was drawn to Nike because of that same spirit. Nike wins. That's what they do. But they want to win the right way.&nbsp;With respect for the sport and my competition, I'm going to be the best I can be. I'm going to compete against the best competition. But I'm not going to race dirty. I'm not going to sh*t-talk you publicly or try to belittle you. I'm going to create an environment around the race where whoever wins won it fair and square, and against the best version of their competition. I want to be a champion where people say, "This guy did it the right way".I've always been willing to go to a dark place in training, but I've learned not to go there too often. A lot of athletes in sports like Hyrox really value the ability to suffer and sometimes test it too much. You keep checking in: "Am I tough enough? Can I hurt enough?" And what tends to happen is you just burn your body out, because there's only so often you can go to that well and actually handle it and recover from it.Still, I've always told myself that when I refuse to go to those places in training anymore, that's when I'll retire. When I'm at the 45-minute point of a workout, knowing that at 55 minutes we're going to enter that spot, I think, This is going to be hell. But today I'm choosing hell, because I still want to be a world champion.

I give a lot of kudos to my wife, Maria, for pushing me to be uncomfortable and not cling to the past. I was working a corporate job and I was afraid to move on from it because of the security it represented. She said, "You can do this. Please take the step". I was making it work before, but there were leaks in the ship. We're in a new boat now. It sails a lot better. Fewer holes.When you're around your kid, you get to rediscover things through their eyes. Having my son, August, has brought so much joy and perspective into my life. He doesn't care if I'm on top of the podium or not, he just yells for Dada, and that's it. Sometimes right before a race, if I'm in a weird emotional state, I'll think, Let me just hold my son for a second. Twenty seconds of a big hug. And then I'm like, All right, we're good, let's go. Sometimes that's all you need.I value effort over almost anything else. Outcomes take care of themselves when you put enough into them. I want my son to see that. He sees fitness as a lifestyle, he travels to races with us. The first beach he ever went to was in France. I want his life to be full of movement and culture, and I want him to see his dad doing it the right way.I never thought I'd be a world champion or even close to that, but as I stacked bricks over time, I kept getting closer. I kept moving up the podium and now I'm at a point where it's like, It wouldn't make sense if you didn't apply yourself, didn't try. You're too close to it. So the mindset has shifted from just doing something and happening to be good at it to committing to and pursuing being a world champion.

The Nike athlete has his sights set on the coveted individual title and knows exactly what will get him on top of the podium: grit.

Training

For the win

Dylan Scott on the Slow, Steady Work of Becoming a Hyrox Champion

It's 2015, and touring Nike's world campus in Beaverton, Oregon, is Kobe Bryant, 6 foot 6 inches of genius basketball talent, and energetically curious about what his partner sports brand is up to in its product innovation spaces. The creator of Mamba Mentality wanders up to Nike teammates at work and asks, "Are you creating that epic s---?"That phrase from Kobe has become <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-new-innovation-engine-announcement" target="_blank">the North Star</a> for Nike's EVP and Chief Innovation, Design and Product Officer, Phil McCartney. It's a call to action, and it spells out a mission as important to him as <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/bill-bowerman-nike-s-original-innovator" target="_blank">Bill Bowerman</a>'s mandate that the company should make athletes* better. "We've got the authenticity of Bowerman in the roots of the company, plus the athlete irreverence from Kobe, so put that together and it becomes a standard of excellence", says McCartney. It's the way he measures products: is it epic? Does it make athletes better? "If it doesn't, then we shouldn't do it".

Before McCartney came into his role in June 2025, Nike had no shortage of ideas and sport-science research. What it needed was focus, the muscle memory to turn its athlete insights, science-backed data and design and product ideas into intentional, sharper, more epic swings. A little chutzpah couldn't hurt either. "I wanted us to get our swagger back, to be more responsive, have a competitive spirit and an athlete's mindset about the work", says McCartney.A clear strategy, ruthless prioritisation and licence to dream came through in short order. Last September, the Innovation team organised as "IDP"—Innovation, Design, Product—an acronym that McCartney says belies the creation process: before his team does anything, they have to innovate,&nbsp;then&nbsp;design, and the product is the outcome. At the same time, the company launched its <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/amy-montagne-the-force-returning-nike-to-sport" target="_blank">Sport Offense</a>—organising teams enterprise-wide by sport to better serve the athlete. His two immediate goals in his role: connect <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/meet-the-nike-mind-team" target="_blank">product back to science</a>, taking advantage of the company's ability to scrutinise and study like no one else, and shore it up with the art of athleticism. And build a deeper, holistic approach to innovating that better connects teams across NIKE, Inc., creating one engine that accelerates product creation.

McCartney says he's at his happiest in creative spaces on campus—the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/inside-the-serena-williams-building" target="_blank">Serena Williams Building</a>, the Michael Jordan Building, the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/inside-the-nike-sports-research-lab-lebron-james-innovation-center" target="_blank">LeBron James Innovation Center</a> and Converse spaces, and the Bowerman Footwear Lab, where he says teams create magic every day. This 8,361-square-metre space tucked inside the campus's Mia Hamm Building is an imagination machine for sneaker creation. Amidst heaps of colourful bolts of fabric and foot lasts, McCartney is like a kid at Disneyland, grinning at the technological abilities at the company's fingertips. "This footwear lab changes how people think about creating product and designing—it's&nbsp;our test kitchen", explains McCartney, emphasising that&nbsp;this&nbsp;is the space where you're reminded that Nike is a product company serving athletes through new solutions. One of the most exciting parts of the space to McCartney is its real-time prototyping capabilities and the ability to tinker with a product idea for an athlete <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/how-nike-built-its-world-headquarters" target="_blank">visiting campus</a>, then instantly modify the proto based on their feedback.That innovator's spirit goes hand in hand with another classic Nike strategy: get out into the communities and know your people. "I want us to go grassroots again, to operate a hyperlocal model and be so connected with the athletes that we can anticipate their next need", says McCartney. Sitting in his fifth-floor office in the Sebastian Coe Building, he pulls out his computer and flashes up a deck that goes deep on his innovation teams' three major product focuses for Nike's next fiscal year. You can see, he explains, how these three product constructs can be adapted by region, by sport and by athlete. The tight line-up didn't start this way, he adds. Winnowing down the most innovative products to these three constructs took months of killing good ideas in favour of great ones, then punching those up to be epic.One step to making this a reality, says McCartney, is to bring key partners along. He's fresh off a two-week trip to Asia, where he says he worked directly with factory owners he's known for 20 years. "We walked through the steps to accelerate my teams' ideas from concept to final product faster and more efficiently", he says. "This is an essential part of revving our innovation engine and solving challenges in real time".

Like everyone else he knew growing up, McCartney wanted to be a footballer. The sport was the lifeblood of Newcastle, the city in northern England where he was raised. Football was also one of the clearest paths out of the working-class town, a place where most people left secondary school after 16 to start earning money. University was something that other people did, and opportunities elsewhere, like the US, seemed about as close as the moon. So, along with the rest of the boys he knew, McCartney joined his school football team, shoring up dreams of kicking his way into the Premier League.After his first few uninspiring games, his dad suggested he try something else. This was young Phil's first lesson in editing and prioritising, walking away from an OK idea for a better one. McCartney tried a running club, set up by local parents to keep their kids out of trouble. The families operated on a tight budget—his&nbsp;father installed drywall and his mother worked in youth community building—and the rule within the club was that once you outgrew your trainers, you passed them down to a younger kid. McCartney was soon in possession of a pair of bright orange-red sneakers, replete with a yellow Swoosh as electric as lightening. "Imagine getting that as an 11-year-old kid", he says. He loved them so much, he slept in them. "I had no idea what Nike was, didn't know it was American, never even heard of Oregon". But he knew how the shoes made him feel: invincible, strong, fast, capable.&nbsp;The first race he ever won—1,500 metres on the track—was in Nikes.He punctuates this story by pulling out a pair of those exact Nike Flame spikes on a January morning in Glo's Cafe at the base of the LeBron James Innovation Building on Nike's <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/how-nike-built-its-world-headquarters" target="_blank">Philip H. Knight Campus</a>. (These aren't the same shoes he had as a youth, but rather a pair he tracked down later on.) They're more than just leather and suede: the shoes are a reminder of his duality—who he is and who he's been—and what has kept him going. The kid who filled his hours doodling sneakers; the teen who started working in retail to help support his family; the young man who applied for his dream job at Nike, becoming a Nike EKIN (because these experts are supposed to know the brand's products backwards and forwards); and now, the leader who sets its strategy for innovation, design and product.McCartney knows persistence, intelligence and hard work brought him to where he is today, but for years, he says, he couldn't help feelings of imposter syndrome, of thinking he was still that working-class kid from middle-of-nowhere-England pretending to be just as sophisticated as everyone else. To this day, he says, those feelings can creep in on him. "I'm proud of where I'm from, but there is just such a huge gap from where I was to where I am", says McCartney. That fact makes it all the more important, he adds, to show his teams that they can be their authentic selves. "I want our people of all backgrounds to feel comfortable here", he says, adding, "it's hard to be creative if you're trying to be someone else at the same time".McCartney credits some of this managerial approach to Vincent Coates, a senior director, footwear product development lead, for football, who taught him that a great leader provides an environment for people to feel empowered. And Coates confirms that McCartney's earned that: "I'd walk through a brick wall for Phil", he says, calling him a leader who is as much at home leading an off-site to discuss footwear as he is bringing the levity to diffuse the day-to-day pressure—like when he donned an Elvis outfit and sang Suspicious Minds to lighten the team mood (that story is fact-checked and confirmed). Coates says the company's return to being a player in the football market came from strategies like McCartney's insistence on bringing siloed teams together. Before he took the role, Innovation sat separately from the Product and Marketing teams. Now, they're all connected and pulling towards the same focused goals. "Phil's created a greater team and this culture of belonging, inclusivity and fun", says Coates. "Yes, we have challenges. But now, because we're figuring things out together, it's an enjoyable journey. That's the impact he has on people—he makes you want to be all in".

Since childhood, sport has taken McCartney on some of the pivotal journeys of his life. Races gave him his first taste of exploring different parts of his home country and mixing with different people. With sport, "the world gets bigger and bigger", he says. And because of his long-held dedication to running, he brings a particular empathy to his work and the plight of the athlete. He knows what it's like to push yourself beyond what you think you could possibly do, to compete against yourself, to wake up at 5am for a run, because that's what he's trained his mind and body to do. It's a viewpoint he cherishes in his job, and one that athletes cherish within him. McCartney and legendary marathoner and <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/eliud-kipchoge-radical-airflow-new-york-city-marathon" target="_blank">Nike athlete Eliud Kipchoge</a> have been friends for more than a decade, and the record-breaking runner says that he and McCartney talk about everything: innovation, trail shoes, blisters, their families, the future of the company. Kipchoge loves that they can do that while on a run. "It feels great for me to talk to someone who was an athlete himself, who is working with Nike and&nbsp;is among the decision-makers", says Kipchoge.Listening to athletes is not only one of the most inspiring and motivating parts of the job, McCartney says, but a key to making it all work. "The biggest thing in innovation is to take a chance with the athletes and whatever ideas they might have", he says, citing <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/six-reasons-why-breaking2-goes-beyond-26-2-miles" target="_blank">Breaking2</a>, the 2017 project that ultimately helped Kipchoge <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/10-greatest-nike-air-sports-moments" target="_blank">complete a marathon in under two hours</a>. "It leads to huge advancements in sport, human potential and technology, and we need those moments just to think differently and bigger".

Like Nike athletes, McCartney wants his team to be bold in their approach to innovation and creativity. He knows, though, that it all starts with him as a leader: "I'm always balancing care with competitiveness", he says. "We've got to win. So how do you create the conditions to do that?" His role isn't just to execute or delegate; he also wants to create the right conditions for people to do their best work. "We don't need people to be told what to do; we have loads of incredibly talented people", he says. "What they need is direction, trust and the air cover to go after something big".While McCartney may still be a bit incredulous about leaving Newcastle, when he visits home, he likes to talk to the local kids about his journey: that you can go from being a young runner propelled by the potential in your soles to the executive who guides their production. And not only the sport science that helped create them, but the look, the feeling and the heat&nbsp;that make a new generation of kids wear those shoes to bed at night.That's the standard the company's embracing again under McCartney's guidance—in the lab, in athlete conversations, in the prototype, in the edit, in the final product. Nothing less than epic s---.

*If you have a body, you are an athlete.

Chief Innovation, Design and Product Officer Phil McCartney knows what the bar is when it comes to innovation at the Swoosh. This is how he's making sure the company's products clear it.

Feature

What Creating Epic Means Inside Nike Now

For kids around the world, going pro in a sport is the ultimate dream. But seeing is believing, and for indigenous youth in particular, there are fewer professional athletes to look up to. But Madison Hammond—who is a member of the San Felipe Pueblo (Katishtya) and Navajo (Diné) tribe, Black and a defensive midfielder for the Utah Royals—had a role model. Her uncle, Notah Begay III, was a professional golfer on the PGA Tour who started the NB3 Foundation, one of the non-profits that Nike and the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/mission/initiatives/n7-fund" target="_blank">N7 Fund</a> have supported, when she was a child. "At the time, I didn't fully understand how close I was to excellence", Madison, the first Native American athlete in the NWSL, says. "I think in Indigenous communities, excellence isn't always the first attribute that's given to us, but it was ingrained in me from a really young age".&nbsp;&nbsp;Growing up in New Mexico, Madison started playing football when she was 5. At the age of 9, she moved with her mother to Arlington, Virginia, and was catapulted into the highly competitive world of youth football. There, her coaches told her that if she put in the work, she had the potential to be as good as she wanted to be—and it became her mantra.&nbsp;Returning to San Felipe Pueblo during summer holidays, Madison attended an NB3 Foundation-sponsored summer camp, where she played football all day on a turf pitch provided by the foundation. She could see the reservation's sacred hills from the bright green pitch, a stark contrast to the surrounding brown landscape. By playing on a team with other Native American girls, Madison was able to immerse herself both in her culture and her sport. It was empowering.&nbsp;&nbsp;Here, in her own words, Madison tells us about chance, circumstance, her road to success and the legacy she hopes to leave other young Indigenous athletes.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Record: when did you realise you had a real talent for football?Madison Hammond: I was around 10 or 11 years old when that feeling first kicked in. I knew that I didn't just want to be good, I wanted to be great.TR: you've talked about your uncle as your role model. How has he inspired you?MH: my uncle was a professional golfer and a Nike athlete. I think he's inspired me in two different ways. One, the fact that he was the first Native American in his sport as well. He also established the NB3 Foundation, which has been around my whole life. I played on a team that was through his foundation, and my other uncle was my coach. Being able to do that on our reservation with other girls that were from San Felipe Pueblo was really impactful for me. That's just not what I have been able to do throughout my whole football journey. I've typically been one of the only Black/Brown girls on the team. I didn't realise how impactful it would be for me 20 years later.TR: when did you know that you wanted to play professionally?MH: I didn't go into university football with the intention of playing professionally. I went into it wanting to be the best I could be. That has been my mindset my entire life: as long as I am improving, as long as I'm getting better, nothing will stop me.TR: have there been any major hurdles along the way?MH: I went to a university that was primarily white and very affluent, and I felt like I was out of my depth. It was the first time that I had to challenge myself to remember who I was and to remember what my values were and why they made me successful as a footballer. Everything comes back to my traditional beliefs.

Madison at four years old playing football on the Young Dragons team in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Madison at five, photographed with her aunt during a traditional celebration in San Felipe Pueblo.

Madison in primary school playing football for Prince William Soccer club in Woodbridge, Virginia.

TR: what was the transition like from playing at university to playing professionally?MH: in university, I played every game, I rarely came off the pitch, I played 90 minutes and out, I was captain my junior and senior year, I was named second-team All-ACC—everything was hard, but it was also easy. Everyone tells you you're the best, everyone tells you all these amazing things about yourself. And then you get to the pro level and you're a rookie, and literally you are back to the bottom after over a decade of playing football. They don't teach you the coping mechanisms for that.TR: how did you deal with that?MH:&nbsp;I think because of who I am and the family that raised me, I never really addressed when things were difficult. Being able to validate an experience, like, "It's OK to be upset, it's OK to not always be perfect, it's OK to not always achieve that excellence that you are pursuing every single day". I was so used to "rub some dirt in it, get over it, if you're having a bad day just push it down". Pushing all of that down for my whole life came up in these crazy ways my first few years as a pro, where you're suddenly doubting yourself and your confidence is dampened because you are not playing a game. I realised that I put too much value in just being on the pitch and put not enough value in the fact that I'd made it to this level.TR: when you reflect on your journey, what has changed? What have you learned since you started playing professionally?MH: I can see how easily doubt and hesitation can derail a career. This is my seventh year as a professional footballer. Personally, I don't think I ever gave myself enough credit for being a good footballer until I was older and was able to look back. In the moment, you feel like you are executing the mission every single day. You come in, you train hard, you play hard. But I don't think I gave myself the credit I'd earned. One thing I want to get better at is celebrating my journey.

Madison and TJ Kahoalii, a footballer who is Tolowa Dee-Ni' Nation and Kanaka Maoli (Native Hawaiian) are the faces of Nike's summer '26 N7 Collection.

TR: what does this <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.nike.com/n7-native-american-indigenous-heritage" target="_blank">N7 Collection</a> represent to you? How does it feel to now have a role in bringing it to life?MH: to me, N7 represents opportunities for education and conversation and shows how incredible all these different communities and tribes are. I think that this collection shows that we can be a part of the mainstream culture. It is a dope example of Indigenous design influences, and it's come together into something that feels really authentic. There's a design motif that mimics a modern pueblo; the colours represent the mountainous terrain, clay and water. All of these things bring so much meaning to me, my family and my people.&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-s-new-n7-collection-celebrates-indigenous-communities-on-and-off-the-pitch" target="_blank">It feels like such an honour to have this N7 Collection come to life</a> and have it centred around football and indigenous people from the Southwest—and to be the face of it. It is a unique blend of everything I am.TR: what is your goal as a representative of your community?MH: as a woman of colour, one of my foundational pillars is to be an active participant in the communities that I occupy. I think having that consistency in my traditions and beliefs has given me the confidence to live bravely in the sports world. It can be a lonely place, and by using the innate experiences that I have access to as an indigenous and Black woman, I can approach every team I'm on with the same perspective and desire to be an active participant and the best teammate that I can be.TR: how would you like to inspire the next generation of Native American athletes?MH: I think the best way I could inspire the next generation of Native athletes is to continue striving for on-pitch excellence and remember to give back to where I came from. Now there are native athletes doing amazing things; there's Janee' Kassanavoid and SilentRain Espinoza. It makes me feel really positive to know that I'm not alone in carrying that message of visibility and opportunity. It's a reminder that when you give pathways to people in my community, we will deliver.TR: what kind of legacy do you want to leave?MH: I hope to be a reminder to young people that if you come from a small town, it's OK. If you come from a small community, it's OK. You can still make it to this level.

"When you give pathways to people in my community, we will deliver", says the Utah Royals defensive midfielder.

How I got here

On the Road to Excellence, Madison Hammond Is Celebrating the Journey

On an early Wednesday morning in February, Amy Montagne stands in front of a small production team in the Serena Williams Building on Philip H. Knight Campus in Beaverton, Oregon. The president of Nike has a presence—commanding, assured and dressed in hues of black; she stands on a makeshift stage while the crew adjusts the lights. Whether or not the camera's recording, Montagne is on—personable, assertive and ready to go—despite waking up well before sunrise. She says the energy and passion it takes to do that day after day, week after week, comes from the shared dedication of the teammates surrounding her during her more than two decades with the company: "Bringing my A-game is critical to my role, because I want to rise to the level of the people around me".Montagne is filming a message for the global Nike team meeting in Milan, a thank you to the tens of thousands of worldwide employees for the hard work leading up to the winter's major sporting moments—the Super Bowl, All-Star Weekend, the Winter Olympics—and a rallying cry for the hard work everyone knows is still ahead. After her first read-through under the lights, a make-up artist dabs her face with a sponge while she listens to feedback. Her delivery (only two takes!) earns applause, and she laughs. "This is not a normal day", she promises.But when a day in the life of the president of the world's largest sports brand can encompass anything from lunching with premier athletes to leading meetings on global sport brand strategy to snapping a pic with Kim Kardashian for her Instagram grid during the NikeSKIMS launch in New York (this one jackpotted Montagne cool points with her triplet teenage sons), maybe the normalcy is found in accepting that every day will be different. And that's exactly what she loves about it: "Each day, you get new information: people loved a certain product drop, a new sport campaign resonated with a specific community, an athlete's authentic style led to a whole-new way of dressing to compete—the energy of that immediate response from people who love Nike is what inspires me", she says. The question that she has asked herself to guide each unique day, over her two decades at the company, remains the same: "How do we lead our teammates and this brand to greatness?"

When Elliott Hill accepted the NIKE, Inc. president & CEO position in 2024, bringing the company back to its sport roots and focusing on the athlete was at the top of his to-do list. Nike needed a turnaround. After years of dominance, the brand was no longer the untouchable giant in the sports industry, and upstart brands were clawing away at the Swoosh market share. Nike's once-clear mandate to be steeped in sport, by listening and serving the athlete, had turned murky. Finding a visionary leader to drive a vigorous reestablishment of the brand's credo was key, and the path to that had to be through strengthening the relationship with athletes (and that means Nike's definition of "athletes"—anyone who has a body).Hill needed a trusted leader for the Nike brand who could lead its new Sport Offense, a plan that rebuilt the company and its priorities through sport, allowing teams to go deep on what those specific athletes need. This right-hand leader would not only need a mind for end-to-end strategy, a commitment to innovation and an adroitness for emotional storytelling, but also be someone who could use those skills to make deliberate choices to strengthen the business for the long term, activating Nike's many levers to connect with athletes, sport communities and fans across the world. Hill had a clear choice: Amy Montagne.Over her 12 roles and 21 years at the company, Montagne had established herself as a healthy balance of left and right brain—an outside-the-box thinker who also uses "spreadsheet" as a verb—and was a motivating force behind Nike's new sport-first operating model. "She always asks, 'how is this connected back to sport, back to the athletes?'" Hill says, outlining her strategic filter. That comes from her unwavering dedication to the benefits of sport that go beyond playing: in high school, for example, Montagne tried out for the basketball team but didn't make the cut. Instead of walking away, she doubled down and became the team's statistician, a role that encapsulated her talent, her secret sauce: she can see the whole court, identify people's unique abilities and skill sets and use that data to help make the whole team better.

Montagne is a straight shooter, with the sort of no-filler management style that makes it clear what she's thinking. If she works with you, she believes in you. And she's the first to admit that she expects big things. But she knows that success is only achieved by pushing past what you think are your limits, and as a team. Charles Williams, global vice president of Footwear, wasn't remotely surprised when Montagne became the president of the Nike brand. For years, he'd known her as a "courageous, empowering" leader, one who was just as likely to come and meet Williams in his office as he was in hers. It's a small gesture with a big ripple effect. Not only does it show respect for his time, Williams says, but it's an opportunity for more junior employees to get a bit of face time with her. Hill likens her to a coach and notes how many relationships she's fostered during her time at Nike. "Because of Amy's level of clarity and accountability, she builds trust with the team, and then you get the followership", he says.Once, Montagne received feedback from her team that, while she has extremely high expectations, they knew that she has those same high bars for herself, above all. "It was one of those moments where I felt really seen for who I am", she says. And that approach has resulted in a genuine loyalty between Montagne and her teams—she gives people the tools, guidance and space to be great, and in return, they are.&nbsp;

Nike's winning history is never far from Montagne's mind: it excites her that everyone around her knows they have big, and well-made, shoes to fill. "Every product, every story we tell, every marketplace execution has to be done with uncompromising excellence", she says. How does she make that happen? By asking honest questions: is the product living up to our expectations, what we know this company is capable of? Is that the best way to tell the story? Is the execution the most premium, sustainable way we can do it? Did we give it absolutely everything?If that philosophy sounds almost unbelievably driven, well, that's on purpose. And it's what makes her ideal for the job. "Amy's the leader Nike needs right now", says Hill, "and I believe the structure we have in place, the team she's put in place, the expectation that she set, is going to give us that sharp clarity against the different consumers we're serving, and that will unlock another wave of growth".

Only recently has Montagne allowed herself—her full self—to be seen in the workplace. Early on in her career, working at the corporate headquarters for The Gap, in San Francisco, she was known for leaving her personal life at the door. Work was work, home was home, and never the two shall meet. "She has a strength to compartmentalise things to be able to move through adversity", says Janet Hayes, her former coworker, long-time friend and current CEO of Crate & Barrel. But that also meant that people had a harder time getting to know her. "I'm watching her now, in the last couple of years, become a different kind of leader who is braver and a little more vulnerable, and I think that's an evolution of her leadership that's going to take her far", Hayes says.&nbsp;For Montagne, the shared trauma of the pandemic illuminated a new managerial approach. For the first time in her career, everyone she knew was going through the same struggle. There was no reason to pretend it wasn't happening, so why not face it head on? The comfort that came with that allowed her to bring more of her personal life into the workplace. Not as a proselytiser, but as a person. "I am who I am because of the life experiences I've had", she says. Having kids later in life, going through a difficult IVF journey, having triplets when she thought she was having a single child and being all too familiar with grief and family loss—these&nbsp;are truths as integral to understanding Montagne as her management style or work habits. "We all have these things, and you find the right ways to bring your personal and professional lives together", she says, "to be your true, authentic self and to support people to be theirs".Seeing a leader like Montagne be vulnerable and sincere in the workplace has allowed others to do the same. "She's a real one", says Williams. "You need that in this organisation, because it shows people they can be themselves".

Montagne's true self at Nike is pure energy; she has a palpable enthusiasm for the job, a humming aura around her. Her role today is a culmination of a steady focus throughout her career, starting from what drove her when she was working in retail in high school in Arizona—a curiosity about the consumer. Even then, she was fascinated by buying habits: what do people like? Why do they buy the things they do? How do fit, colour and style make a difference? That desire for understanding makes just as much sense for Montagne now as it did back then. "In a big company, driving billions of dollars of revenue, everything gets clear when you come back to a consumer and their insights", she says. "Nike can seem so big, but in the end, we're shop owners".&nbsp;As an undergrad at Santa Clara University, she enrolled in the retail management institute, where that curiosity became a tenable career path: this was an actual job, being a buyer for a store. "And that was it!" she says. Her path unfurled before her, like a finger before it beckons. She graduated with a degree in communications, sharpening the storytelling skills that now drive Nike's most simple and powerful message: that sport can change the world. That's a fact Montagne's seen time and time again, be it watching her kids commit to and improve at a new skill, or being part of grand moments, like the Super Bowl or World Cup. "In a world today that has so much challenge and change, sport is the unifier that really brings people together", Montagne says.

After graduation, she completed buyer training at Walmart headquarters and took a role as an allocation analyst at Gap Inc., capping off 11-hour days by running across the Golden Gate Bridge, training for marathons with friends. Her sport of choice has changed—now, you're more likely to find her in a Pilates studio or a cycling class—but her tenacity and strive for excellence is the same. Her husband, Pete, formerly a category manager at Nike, calls her the hardest worker he's ever met. (Their pairing was a matter of fate; although they attended the same college, they didn't meet until after graduating, when Pete was working at Nike and Amy had just started.) More than anything, Pete says, Amy is smart, sharp and prepared. That hasn't always come easily, though; she's had her fair share of shoot-down remarks, plenty of times where she's been the only woman in the room, he says. "What she does that sets her apart is create a culture of inclusivity—she cares about her team, about mentorship, about elevating people's careers".

Her passion and commitment to championing women is well represented in her office, on the 5th floor of the Sebastian Coe Building, where an oversized copy of the company's 1996 print ad "If You Let Me Play" sits on her desk. Working with top athletes, like A'ja Wilson, Caitlin Clark and JuJu Watkins, is one of the most fulfilling parts of her job, which includes "doing everything I can to show them support—that we want to learn, listen and meet them where they are, and keep doing that as they succeed", she says. The bar isn't what the world expects Nike to do. "It's giving so much more than that", she says, "what we know our athletes deserve".When Montagne took over her current role in May 2025, she and her team went on a retreat to hammer out a clear vision for the Nike brand. The company will always be about sport, they contended—but the evolution had to come from following the lead of the Nike athlete. "They don't compete just to be like anybody else", she says. "They say: 'I can do it better, faster, stronger, more stylish'. They break things to be better—and that's what we're meant to do, too".

For Montagne, that means taking her vision of the Nike Sport Offense—establishing more than a dozen specific sport focuses and creating the teams that power them—and nurturing those sport cultures, from running and football and basketball, to golf, tennis, training and more. Each of these has its own personality, energy and nuances, and essential for Nike, its own aesthetic. For example, the look of running, Montagne says, is style, for everyday and professional athletes alike. She points to Sha'Carri Richardson, who doesn't run fast and break records in spite of her long nails or false lashes—she does so because of them, how they allow her to be her authentic self. Show up as the most real version of you, Montagne says, and you perform at your best. That's a tenet that stretches across sports. "Look at the relaunch of the ACG brand at the Winter Games", she points out. "The brand has legitimate outdoor legacy and innovation, and products that speak to an epic, unique style".As our interview ends, Montagne is in her 5th-floor office, seated at her desk and turning to the next events of the day—meetings, presentations, preparations. You can see her mind whirring, just like that high-school statistician. The court is bigger, but her diligence has remained the same: she's surveying, watching her teams' plays and noting what must happen next to make everyone, and the brand, better. The through line, to be sure, will be sport. To know where Nike is going next, look to where the energy is in the world behind sports, behind athletes. Wherever you find that, you’ll find Nike, supporting, listening, learning—and fiercely competing like no other.

With more than 20 years of experience over 12 roles, the brand president is guiding Nike's new Sport Offense, taking the company back to its athlete-first roots and strengthening the business for the long term.

Amy Montagne: The Force Returning Nike to Sport

After winning 73 singles titles, 14 doubles titles, four Olympic gold medals and reigning as the No. 1 women's singles tennis player in the world for a collective six years, Serena Williams decided she was ready for a new challenge. In 2022, she announced that she was "evolving away" from tennis, playing her final match at the US Open that September against Ajla Tomljanovic. A retirement this was not: by that point, Serena Ventures, her venture capital firm, had raised more than $100 million dollars for start-ups focused on female and POC consumers, and she wanted to devote more time to growing that work even more. She was also 40, wanted another child and knew that she didn't want to be pregnant and competing again. (She had her first child, Olympia, in 2017, eight months after she won the Australian Open, her 23rd Grand Slam, while eight weeks pregnant; she didn't drop a single set.) Throughout her farewell tour, reporters and fans asked if she'd ever come back. She didn't say no. Now four years, and another daughter, Adira, later, the Nike athlete since 2003 is back on court. Her return competition is fitting—the Queen's Club tournament in London—where she'll play doubles. Tennis has evolved since Williams took her pause, but then again, so has she. Below, in her own words, Williams shares her new outlook, why it's important for her daughters to see her return and why she's always believed in herself.

This return is not about wins or losses. I just want to have fun. I want to travel and I want to enjoy myself. I've always enjoyed tennis, but this time it's from a different angle. Every time I watched a tournament, I missed it. I miss the atmosphere. I miss the court.&nbsp; Still, what I'm looking for in a doubles partner is someone that wants to win and can win. I guess that hasn't changed! I'm choosing doubles because I'm not putting any pressure on myself to do singles right now. This is a good way to start for me.&nbsp; The only different thing in my training now is that I don't get angry. Although, yesterday, I did want to crack my racket. But I thought, 'Serena, you're absolutely not going to do that'. In the past, I would have. This moment is for my daughters too. I want them to see what a strong woman I am, who I am. Now, they'll be able to see what I do and the impact that I've had. There are so many different things that define excellence. But a lot of people don't understand the full work. We see lots of results that are really fast, things that seem like they happened overnight. But there's always some sort of sacrifice. To gain something, you have to not have something. You have to decide what it is. And sometimes, it's at a cost. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Pressure can feel very heavy, but lighter if you step up to it and own it. There's this old saying, "He who doubts, loses". Doubt is for those who don't want to win. You can't doubt yourself. I work very hard, but I also know I'm at a different stage in my life, so I learn how to get more bang for my buck without sacrificing my hard work.

When I first started playing tennis, I had to fight to just belong. As a woman, you have to fight to show what you have done, and what you can do. And not necessarily fight, but "calmly and confidently remind". When you're sure of yourself, it's OK to walk away and say, "This isn't for me right now". I'm very fortunate that now I get to pick and choose the battles that I decide to fight. Some of those battles are great, especially if they involve my children, but other battles end with me saying, "You know what? Not my day today". To stay on top, you have to welcome change. You have to pivot. Take learning AI, for example—I pivoted instantly. I don't wait, I don't think, I just do. That's how I've always been. Especially with my career, I've always thought, oh, Roger's doing that? I'm pivoting immediately. That's why I had the ability to play for so many years, I was always open to change. I changed my racket and my strings at a time where no one was doing it, and people thought that was really crazy. It was unheard of at the time. I did it, and then suddenly everyone else did it. My partnership with Nike is all about building and creating new. I can see Nike's got back to <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/the-handshake-that-started-it-all" target="_blank">those roots of Phil</a>, starting each idea with "<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/phil-mccartney-is-showing-what-innovation-means-inside-nike-now" target="_blank">how do we help athletes</a>". I love what's happening in <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nikeskims-introduces-studio-stretch-material-innovation-collection" target="_blank">NikeSKIMS</a>. It embodies innovation. When I first saw that, I called Kim and said, "This is genius". I have always believed in myself. Other people believing in you is fantastic, but let's face it, that doesn't always happen. And there's a lot of times where people will say things that make you not believe in yourself. Having your self-belief is so important. Then, it doesn't matter what happens—it won't change your foundation. It doesn't mean you self-believe in everything, because, quite frankly, I don't. I always have to go to my foundation and say, "This is what I'm great at, this is what I'm good at—now let's build on it".&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The tennis champion has a new outlook, an important "why", and a belief in herself that's never gone away.

In Her Return to the Court, Serena Williams Reminds Us Why She's the GOAT

There is a moment Martin Lotti still sees clearly in his mind. He was 16 years old, a Swiss exchange student standing in the original Niketown in Portland, Oregon —a kid from Fribourg, a town of fewer than 40,000 people, who had arrived in the Pacific Northwest for what was supposed to be two weeks and became a year. He left Niketown holding a pair of Air Max 180s and a Michael Jordan Wings poster, the one that reads:&nbsp;"No bird soars too high if it soars with its own wings".&nbsp;His host family snapped a photo of him outside the store, mid-Jumpman pose, arms wide, grinning.That photograph would travel with him across two decades of craft, curiosity and creative ambition. And one day, while serving as chief design officer for the Jordan Brand, Lotti stood in front of Michael Jordan himself and showed him the image."This is why I fell in love with the brand as a 16 year old",&nbsp;he says, sitting at the Philip H. Knight Campus on a cool February morning, dressed in an immaculate all-white fit that reflects an understated confidence.&nbsp;"To have the person from the poster over your bed actually standing in front of you—that was surreal. One of those moments where you think: how did I get here?"

Getting to Nike was never a straight line—and that, Lotti will tell you, is exactly the point. After finishing secondary school in Switzerland, he enrolled at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. A woman in his visual communications class mentioned she'd interned at Nike, which piqued his curiosity. He sent in an application, Nike sent back a job offer. He would later marry that classmate, Linda Mai-Lotti, a detail he shares with a quiet smile that suggests he still can't quite believe his own story.What Nike represented to Lotti, and still does, was something he didn't have a word for growing up in Europe.&nbsp;"In Switzerland, it's more step by step,"&nbsp;he says.&nbsp;"The leash gets longer one step at a time. Whereas in the US, the opportunity is just … there for the taking. It doesn't matter how old you are or where you're from. If you can bring it, you get the chance to design it".That belief—that potential has no ceiling—became the foundation of how Lotti designs, leads and sees the world.

Today, Lotti serves as Nike's chief design officer, representing the Swoosh in major cultural moments such as Milan Design Week, and overseeing product and concept design across the company—an enormous responsibility he approaches with the same grounded clarity that has defined his career. A good designer is a good listener first, he says, because creation is so reliant on input, from the athletes, of data sets, for how to support the product with the right storytelling. The why of your creation—who you're creating for and what problem you're solving—is what delineates a designer from an artist. "Design is not just executing or sketching; we are problem solvers", Lotti says. "<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/bill-bowerman-nike-s-original-innovator" target="null">Bill Bowerman</a> baked this into the DNA of the company: you create for a reason, not just because you can". He also points out that this is no simple task. "Creativity is often romanticised. It's painful! I think it's like a marathon. It takes time, you have to lean in, and in the end you're exhausted and elated".The drive to continue that process runs deep within Lotti. There is a phrase he returns to again and again, a quiet north star beneath everything he creates:&nbsp;making people fly.&nbsp;He didn't fully understand its weight until his team began working with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, and he watched critically ill children choose, as their wish, to spend time with Jordan Brand designers."Not everyone can be Michael Jordan, but everyone can make someone feel something", he says, his voice measured, the words deliberate.&nbsp;"After something like that, you don't come in the next day and just make another shoe".He invokes Steve Jobs' idea of leaving a dent in the universe—of finding your platform and using it with intention.&nbsp;"We have this reach, and I don't take it for granted",&nbsp;he says.&nbsp;"It's not just an opportunity. It's an obligation to make an impact". That impact is felt within Nike too. "There's no one who pushes me more than Martin", says <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/company/people/nicole-graham" target="_blank">Nicole Graham</a>, EVP and chief marketing officer. "He's so good that it makes you want to be better; he'll come up with a great idea, which will make you want to come up with a great idea". That mindset, says Graham, comes from the way Lotti looks at the world. "He can walk down the street and see 18 different things that could be interesting for a project that we're working on—colour, material, font, topography. He lives and breathes creativity and design".

Lotti's design philosophy goes beyond aesthetics or function. He wants his teams to truly understand athletes—not just what they need from a product, but what drives them, what they carry onto the field, what makes them feel seen and inspired.In 2014, a Brazilian footballer described his&nbsp;why&nbsp;to Lotti's team:&nbsp;"We play for the love of the game and for the love of Brazil",&nbsp;the player said, grabbing his shirt as he spoke. The gesture unlocked something. The shirt wasn't just a piece of clothing; it was a symbol of pride, an encapsulation of purpose.That year, the team printed in Portuguese&nbsp;"nascido para jogar futebol"—born&nbsp;to play football—on the inside of the shirt. So that every time a player placed his hand over his heart during the national anthem, he'd feel the purpose beneath it."You aren't just listening to what athletes say about what they need",&nbsp;Lotti says.&nbsp;"You want to hear the person. You want to understand what makes them tick".Sometimes, Lotti and his team's inspiration is more abstract. It surfaces in the raked gravel of a Zen garden in Kyoto, Japan, which became the outsole geometry of the Nike Kyoto, the brand's first yoga-inspired shoe, its upper a subtle nod to the kimono's wrap. Or it can live in the stark, earthy palette of Iceland, which shaped an autumn and holiday training collection.This is one of the quiet gifts of being based in Portland, he says. You're required to go out, seek, learn. "We're more global citizens, which I love, because so many doors open up when you go to new places".

His wife Linda describes Lotti as an athlete—not just literally (he competed and taught snowboarding), but in the way he approaches his craft. When their professor in school assigned 10 sketches, Martin did 20. Not because he had to, but because the work was alive to him, and the push to keep refining it would never rest. Curiosity, for Lotti, isn't something you switch off.That energy surfaces everywhere. A recent trip to a car dealership ended with a salesperson offering him a job, only half-jokingly. He'd arrived knowing more about every model and option than the staff.&nbsp;"He's able to stay focused and keep working until he ploughs through it and finds the solution",&nbsp;Linda says.&nbsp;"Like an elite athlete with a relentless drive to grow and perfect. Just in a very different arena".We're sitting in the Energy Product Design space in the Mia Hamm building, and Lotti is flipping through the pages of the Nike Design Annual, a thick-stock magazine containing a sweeping overview of the best that the Nike brand has done in the past year, through a range of sport, athlete and product moments. "We're so focused on the future, being able to look back is almost cathartic, and it allows us to set a benchmark: if you want to be in this book, it has to be a certain level", Lotti says. "It's a way to celebrate the team".The team Lotti's gathered, says Graham, is unmatched. "One of Martin's most meaningful contributions to Nike is the creative community he's nurtured", she says. "When you're on Martin Lotti's team, you feel like you're one of the most creative people in the world—and that's exactly what he wants you to feel, how he's empowered people to feel". You see the impact of that in this year's Nike Design Annual, which includes 25 of the most innovative pieces the company produced in 2025. Many are feats of the unexpected, breaking the mould—like the <a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/what-is-nike-radical-airflow" target="null">Nike Radical AirFlow</a> long-sleeve for ultra-marathons. People were sceptical at first of the long-sleeve shirt meant to cool you down, says Lotti, with some even affectionately dubbing it the "Christmas sweater". Lotti laughs about it even now. "Believing is wearing it", he says, "it's like air conditioning for your body. You pump your arms while you run, and the material creates little cyclones of airflow. That's its geometry—it's naturally cooling".

Throughout our conversation, Lotti emphasised the uniqueness of working on design at a company like Nike: the cutting-edge technology, like the nascent ability to create prototypes from 3D printers or virtual mock-ups; the eye toward sustainability, shown in&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-aero-fit-official-images" target="null">the new base material, Aero-FIT</a>, for&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/collections/nike-football-unveils-2026-federation-kits-featuring-aero-fit-performance-cooling-technology" target="null">all football shirts</a> that are more breathable for athletes&nbsp;and&nbsp;have a lower environmental impact to create; the&nbsp;<a rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://about.nike.com/en/magazine/meet-the-nike-mind-team" target="null">Mind Science team</a>, which focuses on improving athlete experience from the neck up.This depth and range creates the perfect balance of humanness, enterprise and technology that Lotti seeks. That even the executive chairman, Mark Parker, shares Lotti's design background makes Lotti's work all the more fulfilling. "It makes our life so much easier to see design as part of the foundation of the company", he says, dancing his fingertips over the tabletop. "It's not an afterthought. It's central to everything we do".That belief extends to how Lotti thinks about risk—not as something to manage, but as something to embrace, to push Nike to new places. "Calculated risk is what athletes do every day", he says. "They don't try to replicate their fastest time or most powerful serve or heaviest weight, they want to be better. The best".Why shouldn't we all?

"Design is not just executing or sketching", says the chief design officer. "We are problem solvers".

Martin Lotti is Driving a New Wave of Creativity at Nike

Five games into his professional career, on his third-straight away game, Victor Wembanyama was already at home in the NBA. He scored 38 points, grabbed 10 boards and put up two blocks by the end of the night. At season's end, he'd average nearly four blocks a game, leading the league.&nbsp;Victor is all unreal numbers. The 20-year-old's&nbsp;7'4" frame swallows every square inch of the court. Offensively, he's fluid and mobile. Defensively, he's a one-man zone, able to turn away opposing fast breaks through his size and his stare. Evaluating rookies in the NBA is usually a challenge of evaluating their floor. At a minimum, what can this player become? He entered the league and instantly, the question was how high his ceiling might be—or whether there was one.&nbsp;Here, Victor answers our questions on what it takes to win—from transcending his own limits to banishing fear from his life. I knew from an early age the kind of professional I wanted to be. There's a lot of things we have to do as pro athletes that people in other jobs don't need to worry about, like getting enough sleep after you play a back-to-back and fly to a different time zone. I decided I need to get better sleep. When I start my dinnertime meal, my alarm for the next morning is already set on my phone and I'm not going to use my phone for the rest of the night.&nbsp;I'm lucky in that I can say I'm competing for multiple places. Wearing the France national jersey is one of the strongest feelings I know. In the NBA, I'm attached to the city of San Antonio. I'm a part of it. They've welcomed me.&nbsp;

All my life, I've been much taller than everyone on the court. So, when coaches saw me doing dribbles through the legs and doing fadeaways and stuff, their first reflex was to tell me not to do it. All my life, there's been this pressure to put me in a box. It's been the toughest battle I've fought my whole life. Now, I do have more freedom than before, but I'm convinced that my freedom wouldn't be here without my efforts to go against those stereotypes.Here's what I'd tell any kid who's struggling with something:&nbsp;when I was 12 years old, I went through a discouraging period. I was having trouble with my shot during my games. I obviously was growing a lot at that time and I was even skinnier than I am now, so I had trouble getting my shot off consistently against defenders. My coach told me, "When you're a professional, you'll be working on the present. But right now, you're working for the future".&nbsp;Seeing a kid wear my jersey is special. Any time I catch highlights of our games, I like watching the reactions in the stands and you naturally see the kids who are wearing your jersey. It's not the first thing you think about when you become an NBA player, but you realise you can positively influence the next generation through something you love. It's beautiful.&nbsp;It really saddens me when I see a lack of ambition from people. Usually, it comes from being scared and thinking "I'm not enough". Assuming that things are too big or too ambitious are things I've decided to banish from my life.At the end of the day, it's on you to define what your goals are in life, what you want to become. Winning is accomplishing those things that matter most to you.&nbsp;

I want to help create a new era of dominance for French basketball. That involves promoting the sport and making it more popular in the country for our youth. For professional basketball in France, I think our potential doesn't match our current investment. How can we improve our facilities? How can we train the best staff? We just need to match our potential and foster our pool of talent that's already here. France has the brightest future of any country in the world for basketball.Someone asked me how I make sure my name doesn't grow bigger than the Spurs organisation. That will never happen. The team wants me to succeed and be the best I can be. They've made a lot of sacrifices for me. I want the whole organisation to know how much I understand all that they've done. Sometimes, it's a little thing like sending a text or welcoming someone new to the organisation. I try to show people their worth in all they do. I'm not scared to grow bigger than them, because I want to make the Spurs as big as I can. I want to give back to them as much as possible.&nbsp;I don't think anyone could have a higher expectation for me than I have for myself. So, it's really no big deal when I hear people call me a once-in-a-generation player. The only people to whom I have something to prove are my coach and my team. Even my parents don't have expectations for me; they just want me to be happy. When I don't want to see all that pressure, I turn off my phone. It's as simple as that, but there's really no pressure or expectations. I never felt like I had something to owe to the world. I'm just playing basketball.

The 20-year-old phenom speaks to transcending his own limits, banishing fear from his life, turning off his phone and more.

The legend of Victor Wembanyama is growing

See What Drives Us

Stories from inside NIKE, Inc.

Story Landing

3-Minute Portrait

Fans of the Swoosh know the brand can design a covetable shoe. What takes that feat to the next level: designing one that's built to swagger and perform—then be taken apart and recycled.That was the remit for the Nike&nbsp;ISPA team. ISPA (Improvise, Scavenge, Protect, Adapt) is a Nike design philosophy that challenges creators to experiment, break moulds and reimagine products. In this case, it helps move Nike closer to its circular vision—a closed-loop system that yields no waste—to help protect the planet and the future of sport.Recently, the ISPA team debuted two head-turning new footwear models that show the brand's innovative capabilities and foretell its future&nbsp;in circular design. <h3>The intent</h3>For more than 30 years, Nike teams have pursued design solutions in service of the athlete and the planet. They've unlocked new, lower-impact materials (see&nbsp;Nike Grind and&nbsp;Nike Air) and created pinnacle performance footwear and iconic lifestyle silhouettes leveraging recycled content (see&nbsp;Alphafly Next Nature and the&nbsp;2022 Move to Zero collections). As the climate crisis has intensified for athletes&nbsp;around the world, Nike teams have shifted into a higher gear, embracing circular-design principles as creative&nbsp;accelerants. Those include the 10 principles outlined in the Nike&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nikecirculardesign.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Circular Design Guide</a>, an open-source workbook to share learnings and insights with the larger design community and anyone interested in how design can help lessen impact on the planet.Here, the&nbsp;ISPA&nbsp;team considered the circular-design principle of "disassembly", or&nbsp;the ability to easily take a product apart to recycle its contents, one of the more challenging principles to implement in footwear design. A good shoe is flexible and durable. Traditionally, designers use glue and other bonding elements to achieve these aims, but that makes a shoe nearly impossible to disassemble and recycle. Recycling shoes usually requires shredding, an energy-intensive process that limits how the recycled materials can be used. Creating a shoe that can be taken apart would reduce the carbon footprint of the product and open up new possibilities for its life cycle. <h3>The innovations</h3>The ISPA team tackled the disassembly challenge. "Designed in partnership with engineering, digital product creation and development, these shoes are completely informed by method of make—it really is a case of form following function", says Darryl Matthews, VP, Catalyst Footwear Product Design. "Our hope is that these ideas and aesthetics become normalised,&nbsp;accelerating&nbsp;our ability to imagine how shoes will continue to evolve in the future".

<h3>The Nike ISPA Link</h3>This futuristic silhouette features three interlocking modules connected without glue that can be taken apart and dropped off at Nike stores offering the Recycling & Donation service.

The midsole is made up of pegs that fit into openings engineered into the upper. This makes for an exceptional fit that is comfortable, stable and breathes well, according to the 40 athletes&nbsp;who logged some 200 hours in the prototype.

From a manufacturing standpoint, the Link is revolutionary in its simplicity. A pair of Links takes about eight minutes to assemble—a fraction of the average time needed for a traditional sneaker—thanks to a custom-made manufacturing jig and the fact that the shoe doesn't require the time-intensive gluing process to construct its midsole. Finally, the shoe is assembled without the need for conventional energy-intensive processes like cooling, heating and conveyor-belt systems.

<h3>The ISPA Link Axis</h3>Make the bold bolder. That's the vibe of the <a href="https://about.nike.com/en/newsroom/releases/nike-debuts-the-ispa-link-axis-an-exploration-into-circular-design" rel="noopener noreferrer">Link Axis</a>, which builds on and advances the Link's sustainable intent. The Link Axis has a 100-percent-recycled polyester Flyknit upper that's precisely engineered to fit over the outsole (compared with the traditional cut-and-sew method used for the Link), and its 100-percent-recycled TPU tooling was achieved by using scrap airbag material.

The Link Axis is the new pinnacle for disassembly, and embodies the circular-design principles of material choice, waste avoidance and refurbishment.

The shoe also has a 20-percent-recycled TPU cage. Because recycling changes some material properties, the cage is an exercise in balancing the desire to use recycled content with the need for durability and traction. The ISPA team continues to explore new developments in this space.

Nike has explored disassembly and interlocking modular designs before, in the 2003 Presto Clip …

2003

… and the 2005 Zvezdochka, created in collaboration with industrial designer Marc Newson. These early iterations paved the way for the ISPA Link and ISPA Link Axis.

2005

Past inspiration

<h3>What's next?</h3>For mould-breaking models like the Link and Link Axis to have full impact, the innovation must be scaled. That action is underway. A holistic look at Nike&nbsp;product lines and supply chains is already determining where new approaches can be implemented to reach a wider audience and to move closer to <a href="https://about.nike.com/en/impact" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nike's sustainability goals for 2025</a> and beyond.True scale also requires robust cross-industry collaboration to create the business models and infrastructure that make it possible to recycle products. To that end, Nike is building partnerships to grow its recycling capabilities, and it's investing in product take-back programmes for consumers across the world that will help grow its ability to repurpose end-of-life products.As essential: By embracing radical new aesthetics like the Link and Link Axis, Nike is signalling the importance of circular systems for fighting climate change, and inviting consumers and the design community to engage in a conversation about it.To that end, Nike was proud to participate in&nbsp;"<a href="https://www.design-museum.de/en/exhibitions/detailpages/plastic.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Plastic: Remaking Our World</a>", an exhibition at Germany's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.design-museum.de/en/information.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Vitra Design Museum</a>, one of the world's leading design institutions. The exhibit highlighted the exploration of design and the evolutionary journey behind the ISPA Link Axis, and was a unique window into the brand's approach to innovative design with sustainable intent.With the Link and Link Axis, Nike is further accelerating its move towards a circular, zero-carbon and zero-waste future. As Nike Chief Innovation Officer John Hoke puts it, "We have a responsibility to consider the complete design solution: how we source, make, use, return and ultimately re-imagine product. The goal is to make matter&nbsp;matter&nbsp;more."

The ISPA Link and ISPA Link Axis, examples of design for disassembly, are innovative catalysts that move the brand closer to a circular future.

Innovation

Making it

Why we're making shoes you can take apart

Why Nike is making shoes you can take apart

By Adam BradleyWhat does 50 years of Nike sound like? Footfalls on polyurethane tracks. The echoed pop of optic yellow balls against nylon strings. The squeak of rubber soles on polished courts. Above all, though, Nike sounds like its athletes. In the early years, you could pick out each voice: Steve Prefontaine, Joan Benoit Samuelson, George "The Iceman" Gervin. As the decades went by, the voices grew louder, more varied: John McEnroe, Bo Jackson, Michael Jeffrey Jordan. Then Tiger, Serena, LeBron. Ronaldo, Mbappé, Naomi. With each passing decade, the chorus builds until their voices harmonise, united and distinct.&nbsp;Nike listens. As John Slusher, the company's executive vice president for Global Sports Marketing, says, "Listening to the voice of the athlete is so crucial to us". Slusher and his team spend a great deal of time responding to—even anticipating—athletes' needs. A rising WNBA star like Sabrina Ionescu might require different things than an 18-year veteran like Diana Taurasi. Maybe it's business mentoring or a visit to the Sports Research Lab for a custom shoe fitting. Almost any athlete will appreciate a therapeutic massage, but for a 10,000-metre runner like Shalane Flanagan, a mid-heat massage could mean that one-second difference between qualifying for the final or going home.

Yes, Nike listens. And with listening comes learning: how to enhance performance, how to build a better business, how to respond to what the moment demands. With learning comes growth: improving not only products but also practices, supporting athletes as they take stands for social justice, centring the voices of women in sport and in business.&nbsp;With growth comes commitment, born of deep investment into the people and the principles that define the company. And with that commitment comes a familial bond between Nike and its athletes. Slusher often stresses himself out while watching major sporting events. Why? "If it's two Nike teams or Nike athletes on opposing sides", he says, "I practically have to look away. Nike in general and our teams—we love our athletes, we love our sports".Over the years, Nike's athletes have reciprocated that commitment. After a birthday celebration that stretched well into the next morning, the New York Yankees legend Derek Jeter showed up for an event with key Nike retailers because he knew it mattered to the company. Then there was Kobe Bryant, whom Slusher recalls having attended 92 Nike events in a single calendar year when he was obligated to attend only eight.&nbsp;Perhaps this is what people have in mind when they talk about the Nike family. Perhaps it's why major sporting events often take on the spirit of a family reunion, with elders welcoming younger athletes into the fold. During a long weekend in February, for instance, some of Nike's American football legends took time to record welcome messages for the brand's newest endorsement partners, young athletes, some just out of university, for whom a personal message from American football legends Barry Sanders or Jerry Rice must seem like a dream. At Nike, such dreams are often the beginning of others.&nbsp;"We view our athletes as part of the Nike family and we want to help them succeed", says Slusher. It's a common metaphor in business, often invoked but rarely achieved. Corporate cultures are quick to embrace the warm and fuzzy feelings of togetherness while skipping over the responsibilities that being in a family requires. But as Barry Sanders explains, "Nike has figured something out. They don't just support athletes in their respective sports, they support them whatever their interests are off the field. They have established great partnerships and relationships with athletes". Jerry Rice picks up the thread. Yes, Nike champions you as an athlete, he explains, but really, it's a matter of reciprocity: "When everything's working the way that it should and you know that they've got your back and you've got their back", says Rice, "it's just a perfect relationship".Alex Morgan's own Nike journey exemplifies the spirit of family in Sanders' and Rice's words. When Morgan was 7 years old, she and two local friends founded their own Nike club. They met in the back garden of the Morgan family home in Diamond Bar, California, in a white shed adorned with Swooshes the girls had scrawled on the walls by hand. "We tried our best to draw the perfect Nike logo", Morgan recalls. "From then on, I was a huge fan of Nike". Following a standout university football career, Morgan turned pro and soon joined the Nike family. "It was a dream come true to sign my first endorsement deal with Nike", she says, which she did in 2011. "And we've been on this long, amazing journey since". That journey has taken Morgan to two world championship victories, an Olympic gold medal and a legendary club career.But her fondest memory as a Nike athlete came off the pitch. In 2019, Morgan stepped away from competition while pregnant with her first child. In a fortuitous bit of timing, that same year Nike launched its maternity collection. "I got one of the very first prototypes", she says. Wearing her new Nike gear, she could stay active and comfortable in clothes that made her feel confident and strong. "Just to feel supported—not only on the pitch but as a mum-to-be—that felt really good", she recalls. Now, she and her toddler son sport matching Jordans. The Nike family grows.

In a rare interview, given to the Harvard Business Review back in 1992, Nike's founder, Phil Knight, now 86, explained what the company looks for in its partners. "The trick is to get athletes who not only can win but can stir up emotion", he said. Look across the decades and you'll see that Nike has consistently achieved just that. From Andre Agassi to Charles Barkley, Emma Raducanu to Ja Morant. Once they've found those athletes, Nike looks to grow with them. "We take the time to understand our athletes and we have to build long-term relationships with them", explained Knight. "Those relationships go beyond any financial transactions. John McEnroe and Joan Benoit wear our shoes every day but it's not the contract. We like them and they like us. We win their hearts as well as their feet".Winning hearts and feet is a good summation of the Nike ethos. It's been true from the beginning, when the spirit of Nike was no more than a coach and an athlete: Knight and his University of Oregon coach Bill Bowerman. Though much has evolved about the company—and the landscape of sport—over half a century, that much has stayed the same. "For all the changes", says Slusher, "we also started with the best athletes with the best stories wearing the best product and winning. It was in the boot of Phil's car: get the guy who's gonna win the marathon to wear your shoes. And in some ways, it's the same thing today. Of course, it's a lot broader and more complex but we're still partnering with those great athletes and helping them to achieve their best".And the company memorialises those close relationships to athletes on its sprawling Beaverton, Oregon, campus by naming its buildings after its greatest stars. "The buildings are named after the men and women who have given us more than their names and endorsements", explained Knight in his 2016 memoir, Shoe Dog. "Joan Benoit Samuelson, Ken Griffey Jr, Mia Hamm, Tiger Woods, Dan Fouts, Jerry Rice, Steve Prefontaine—they've given us our identity"."Naming buildings after athletes—that's an incredible thing", says John McEnroe, who has his own building on campus and is Nike's longest-tenured athlete partner at 44 years and counting, having won seven grand-slam titles over the course of his career. The tennis champ's longstanding relationship with Nike is a testament to a defining difference in how the company thinks about its endorsers. Perhaps not even Knight knows the exact number of athletes that have been part of Nike's journey over these 50 years. At any given time, the company maintains close to 16,000 relationships with athletes and organisations across the globe. Forbes recently reported that of the top 100 highest-earning athletes, more than half were part of the Nike family. Nike is a brand of champions.

You could write the history of Nike's first 50 years through its heritage of champions, individuals whose commitment to excellence has helped them achieve the highest recognition in their sport. LeBron James and Serena Williams, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Naomi Osaka, Rafa Nadal and Sam Kerr and so many more. Here, "champion" is a noun, a word that memorialises past performance. As a company, Nike embraces the verb, dedicating itself to actively supporting the cause of its athletes. In his letter commemorating Nike's golden anniversary, Knight put words to this belief: "From day one", he wrote, "everything we did—and still do—is to unleash the potential of every athlete around the world".How do you champion a champion? Ask three-time Super Bowl champ Jerry Rice and he'll tell you. It starts, he says, with the best—and the best-looking—equipment. "It's all the swag! Having that Nike Swoosh on there", he says, while wearing a Nike T-shirt, Swoosh across the chest. "I remember having to tape my shoes a certain way to make sure that logo stood out. Just to have that logo on there, I knew I was gonna do something special on that day".When asked what they'd preserve for a time capsule commemorating Nike's 50th, several athletes mentioned the iconic late '80s, early '90s advertising campaigns starring Michael Jordan and more specifically, the 1989 Spike Lee-directed ad starring Lee as Mars Blackmon, with its indelible refrain, "It's gotta be the shoes!"The phrase still resonates. On a recent visit to the Nike campus, the reigning NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked what he thinks about when he thinks about Nike. His response was immediate. "Shoes. And, specifically, free shoes! The ones I get at my house", he said, flashing a mischievous grin familiar to those who know the playful personality of one of the most competitive athletes on the face of the earth. Just as quick, he shifts to a tone of sincerity and thoughtfulness. What does Nike bring to mind? "The culture they've built over the years", he says. "When I think about Nike, I think about the athletes that have been a part of Nike's journey".

Barry Sanders played a big part in Nike's journey and Nike played a big part in his. Throughout his career, Sanders was generous with his teammates, gifting his linemen Rolex watches and big-screen TVs but frugal when it came to himself. Off the field, you'd probably find him head to toe in Nike-issued gear. Why pay for clothes when Nike gave them to you for free? And besides, wearing the Swoosh was a source of pride. "It was a seal of approval", says Sanders today, thinking back on his decision to sign with Nike. "I'm one of those guys".Historically, a lot of those "guys" have been women and Nike continues to build on its commitment to women's sport and to enhance its focus on women consumers. "With Nike, it's been great to be able to brainstorm together and be in meeting rooms with people who actually do have a future plan", says Alex Morgan. "It's great to hear the athlete's perspective and where the athlete feels their contributions can be the most authentic". Earlier this year, Nike formalised that informal practice of consulting athletes when it inaugurated its Athlete Think Tank, aimed at investing in the future of women's sport. Among its 13 founding members is Serena Williams, who brings her vision and advocacy to this vital work. "I think Nike has probably learnt a lot from working with me and my team", says Williams. "I think I have helped teach them how to be nimbler and more spontaneous". Of course, she's learnt from Nike too: how to chart long-term goals, how to plan for success. Paula Badosa, the 26-year-old Spanish tennis star, is half as old as Nike, but she understands this ethos. "Our dreams as athletes become their dreams", she says.&nbsp;The athlete's voice resounds.

The voice itself is an athlete. We hear its sound because of the conscious and unconscious coordination of lungs and abdominal muscles, vocal folds and larynx, tongue and teeth. It should come as no surprise, then, that people who have dedicated their lives to training their bodies to achieve peak performance would have strong voices too. A'ja Wilson, a university champion, WNBA MVP and three-time All-Star, all before the age of 26, understands her greatest role as being "a voice for the voiceless", she says. In the months after the fatal police shooting of Breonna Taylor, a 26-year-old Black woman from Louisville, Kentucky, who was killed during a no-knock raid on her apartment, Wilson used the platform she earned through her athletic achievement to speak out. Addressing the media on 24 September 2020, before her Las Vegas Aces faced off in game three of their semi-final series against the Connecticut Sun, a day after learning that none of the officers involved in Taylor's death would face charges, Wilson raised her voice in the spirit of her convictions. "Black Lives Matter isn't this big thing that's taking money", she said. "It is a statement. It is a life that I live. I am a Black woman. You take everything that I have earned away from me and I am a Black woman".Wilson knows that Nike supports her and her freedom of self-expression. More than that, she understands that Nike gives her a means of amplifying her voice so that it reaches further, resonates deeper. "Nike does an amazing job of helping us tell our stories the way that we want them to be told", she says. "Just be you and they will make it work. I appreciate that and I'm sure other athletes do as well".

Nike believes that everyone is an athlete.* That's not empty rhetoric but a guiding reality. It speaks both to the company's grand commercial ambitions, of course, but more profoundly, it testifies to a vision of service that aims to reach everyone. I ask my two daughters, who are 8 and 11 years old, what wearing the Swoosh means to them and they sound a lot like Nike's athletes. It makes them feel faster, more confident. It just feels comfortable. "Dad", my older daughter says to me, barely restraining her exasperation, "it's just cool". Jerry Rice and Mia Hamm and Ada Hegerberg and Eliud Kipchoge all agree: fifty looks good on Nike.Nike's slogan for its golden anniversary is succinct and aspirational: "Never Done". In this regard, it is similar to the brand's most famous tagline, "Just Do It." John McEnroe recalls a Nike executive trying out that iconic phrase on him more than 30 years ago. "It's horrible! It'll never work", he says. "It's safe to say I was wrong about that one", McEnroe admits with a wry shake of the head. I try the new slogan out on him now and he nods. "That's good", he says. "Because that would lead me to believe that after this 50 years, Nike wants to be around for 50 more".

We are dedicated to supporting and serving our Nike athletes. This is what 50 years of actively listening sounds like.

Nike exists to serve the complete athlete, and shares their winning mentality. As a champion for athletes and sport, Nike partners with athletes who share the belief that sport can break barriers, push limits, spark change and move the world forwards.