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 in-house photographer to 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 sports 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 ability to work in high pressure environments for athletes.

Sofieke van Bilsen

Photo Essay

Icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Ran Her Final 100 Meter 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.

Journey of an Icon: 20 Years of LeBron James in China

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

NExt volume

Conner Mantz Feature Loop

Davis Jones is the senior editor for about.nike.com. His areas of interest include sport science, performance product design and the history of sport.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Born and raised in Oregon, Davis attended the University of San Diego. Upon graduating, he worked as an editorial intern for Farrar, Straus and Giroux. He was a writer and editor for Surfer magazine before returning to the Pacific Northwest to work for Nike in 2018.&nbsp;

Davis Jones

How do you convince athletes that, while what they’re currently wearing may work, the prototype they’re holding in their hands has the makings of something special?

Feature

How We Partner With Athletes On New Prototypes

About Nike - Stories from Inside NIKE, Inc.

Born of need and elevated by expertise and diligence, today the Department of Nike Archives (DNA) cares for hundreds of thousands of artifacts and a limitless vault of connected stories.&nbsp;The brand archive began organically in the 1970s and officially became DNA in 2006. The department’s purpose is to both preserve and accelerate the ever-evolving and interconnected story of Nike. “Knowing who you are and the fights you’ve come through can do huge things for morale, inspiration, and creativity. That’s what DNA provides.” - Phil Knight

Department of Nike Archives

Created from the experimentation and ingenuity of Nike's co-founder Bill Bowerman, the Nike Moon Shoe's unique design would shape the future of running for decades.

From Waffle Iron to World Stage: The True Story of the Nike Moon Shoe

Before Nike was a worldwide sports brand, it was an upstart company in need of an eye-catching visual identity. Here, the real story of the Swoosh.

History

The Nike Swoosh Logo: From Humble Beginnings to Global Icon

The 1973 Pre Montreal racing spike was an innovation worthy of its rising star endorser, Steve Prefontaine.

Icons

The History of Steve Prefontaine’s "Signature" Track Spike

Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman's quest to create footwear to improve athlete performance is a driving force for Nike's ever-evolving approach to product innovation.

Innovation

Bill Bowerman: Nike’s Original Innovator

Prefontaine's competitive fire, gutsy race tactics and inherent charisma charmed crowds and inspired up-and-coming runners to give it their all.

People

How Steve Prefontaine Set the Pace for Nike

Story Landing

The material innovation harnesses the power of the air moving around you to help maximize your body’s natural cooling mechanisms.

Nike Radical AirFlow Debuts a New Era of Breathable Apparel

A legacy as stealthy, unsung precursor defines the Kobe III. And yet, it's immovable in Kobe’s footwear legacy.

The History of the Kobe III

Proving her talent across Nike’s cross country, indoor and outdoor championships, Hedengren finished her high school career as one of the most accomplished middle- and long-distance runners of all time.

How I Got Here

Indoors and Out, Runner Jane Hedengren is Rewriting History

The two-time world champion gives some advice on how to watch the shotput. Spoiler: It’s not all about strength.

Fan 101

Joe Kovacs on What It Takes to Throw A Winning Shotput

The Atlanta Dream guard is having a season that epitomizes a well-rounded player. That's not just a product of the talent level across the W, but of her lifelong work ethic.

For The Win

Allisha Gray is Leveling Up Her Game — All of It

The 25-year-old artist on her black belt in taekwondo, how the Air Max Muse pairs with everything, and why partnering with Nike was a natural fit.

Welcome to the Family

5 Questions With K-Pop Star KARINA

The drama, suspense, energy and passion — if you're not yet a fan of track and field, you're about to become one.

Incredible Scenes from the 50th Anniversary of the Pre Classic

The Bowerman Mile at the Pre Classic has produced more sub-4:00 times than any event in the world. Here’s what makes it so fast.

Inside the World’s Fastest Mile Race

Go trackside to see and feel the emotion from the champion's historic attempt.

Behind the Scenes of Faith Kipyegon's Breaking4 Attempt Day

A visual reflection on the shared goal — inspiring all athletes to dream big and break barriers — between the world’s fastest woman miler and Nike.

The Breaking4 Journey: Faith Kipyegon and Nike’s Unforgettable Project

Speed suit, sports bra, spikes, dialed. Here, other essential factors Nike considered to give Faith Kipyegon the best support for Breaking4.

10 Details Nike Obsessed to Support Faith Kipyegon and Breaking4

The shoe’s journey from afterthought to global icon defies convention, which begins to explain why the Converse Chuck Taylor All Star has served as a talisman of self-expression for multiple generations, subcultures and genres: It has never tried to fit in.