A normal custom package from Nike left Olympic champion Katie Moon in tears. Despite a long-term partnership between the sportswear brand and Moon, the two-time World Champion was stunned when she received her latest spikes from Nike. The elite competition spikes not only dazzled with jewels but also carried an emotional tribute.
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Moon took it to Instagram to show her latest competition shoes from her sponsor, Nike, and the special touch. “I don’t normally make posts like this. I don’t tend to get very emotional on social media or in general. Um, but this deserved a post. I have been lucky enough to make different spike colorways, um, and they just sent me these unbelievable bedazzled incredible Nike spikes, uh, which was already the most exciting thing that’s possibly ever happened to me,” she stated.
However, that was not the only highlight of the video. Talking to her followers, Moon further revealed, “But then when you flip up the strap, it says Dad. And if you know my story at all, um, I write Dad on the inside of my spikes, and I have since he passed away, and the fact that they did that for me just… Nike, you’re amazing. Um, thank you.”
Moon’s father, Mark Nageotte, passed away when the athlete was just 16 years old. Since then, as a tribute to her late father, USA’s star athlete has inscribed the word ‘Dad’ in the interior lining of her shoes with her hands. The initial habit soon turned into a pre-competition ritual for Moon, which she has been following for years now.
In a heartfelt letter shared by Moon, she recalled how her father played an influential role in her sporting career. “He was the perfect girl dad because he was supportive in every sense. He found my club that I grew up going to for pole vault. He would take me to everything and sit there and listen to what the coaches were telling me and he would just regurgitate the information back. It was really fun because it was our thing without it feeling like it was his thing. It was like it became our thing together.”
Moon has always been open about her personal gesture but never expected her sponsors to make such an effort. Thus, Nike’s small gesture had a huge emotional impact on the athlete as soon as she noticed it.
Besides this, Moon had once worked on a campaign alongside NFL star Denzel Ward to spread awareness regarding CPR. During a National CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and AED (automated external defibrillator) Week, Moon and Wade together urged American netizens to ‘act as first respondents in case of emergencies until help arrives’.
Both athletes lost their fathers to sudden cardiac arrests; thus, the campaign meant more than promoting a regular PSA. “In an emergency, bystanders don’t need medical training to save a life. All you need is knowledge, courage, and the willingness to act,” said Moon.
“I know first-hand that cardiac arrest can happen to anyone. But it’s also true that anyone can step up and save a life, whether it’s a stranger or someone they love, by learning CPR and taking action in an emergency.”
While sponsorship usually focuses on brand visibility and enhancing athletes’ performances, Nike went above and beyond for their star. The bedazzled spikes were enough to catch anyone’s attention. The brand could have let Moon continue her tradition while wearing their customized spikes, but they acknowledged her emotional bond with her late father. Nike’s thoughtful gesture has not only moved Moon but also left her fans and followers appreciating the efforts. These new customized spikes are going ot be more than regular sportswear for the pole vaulter during competitions.