For the sport of Taekwondo in Beijing, Nike designers developed a new shoe for both training and competition, the TKV. To gain the best insights into the sport, designers consulted with top athletes in the discipline: Chinese team members Luo Wei and Chen Zhong (who will be seeking a third gold medal in Beijing). One key concern for such high performance athletes is avoiding injury as they progress through the early rounds of competition. A broken bone or bruised foot could greatly compromise their performance and possibly cost them a medal. To protect the tops of athletes' feet during training and qualifying rounds, a padded “glove” for the foot was designed and presented to the Chinese team. After a round of design revisions were made that removed the outsole on the ball of the foot and heel to provide natural traction for pivoting, the Nike TKV was born.
The Nike TKV’s synthetic padding is articulated at the ankle and scored to flex with the anatomy of the foot, providing lightweight protection and zero distraction for the athlete. A flexible, perforated neoprene sock secures the pads in place while providing maximum breathability and skin contact with the mat. The surface material of the padding has been engineered to produce a loud, crisp sound upon contact with the opposing athlete’s chest pad.
Because Taekwondo is a combat sport, which requires opponents to wear either blue or red, three versions of the Nike TKV were created for Beijing: Sport Red for the red corner, Varsity Royal Blue for the blue corner, and white as a neutral option.
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