Jared Ebanks In 2016 during the Rio De Janeiro Olympic Games, Hong Kong native Cheung Ka Long became the first athlete representing the city to win an Olympic gold medal in fencing during the Men’s Individual Foil. Since then, Long’s career has sustained several highs and lows, but he’s continued to find solace in his motto “Don’t lose your way”, which appears on each pair of his match-worn shoes. Six years later, the phrase that’s kept the Olympic fencer grounded to his love for the sport is appearing on his own Air Max 97.
Celebrating both the Air Max and Long’s 25th birthday this year, the silhouette additionally pays tribute to the moment he became the first Hong Kong native to win a gold medal in the last 25 years.
In conjunction, the personal appreciations and ties Ka Long holds anchor his silhouette, employing a gradient aesthetic inspired by the city and its contrasting mountain landscape while the fencer’s favorite color of “Olive Green” emboldens the upper, laces and pull tabs. Further embellishments feature a topographical map of Hong Kong’s tallest mountain peak – Tai Mo Shan – placed above a translucent tread, golden Swooshes that nod to his gold medal accomplishments and his four word motto printed along the Air Max bubble. Utilizing a velcro tongue construction, the model concludes by including various fencing and Swoosh-inspired patches in tandem with the years he’s brought home the gold etched along the insoles.
Releasing this past week at Nike Hong Kong, enjoy official images of Cheung Ka Long’s Air Max 97 below while we anticipate further details regarding a stateside release.
In other news, check out Supreme’s latest collab with Vans affixed with Swarovski crystals.
