As another Olympic Games draws closer, each nation has started to unveil what they will wear on their pursuit of gold, with the home nation France announcing a classy look in 2024.
We all know when it comes to undertaking each sport, the athletes need the best; something backed by sports scientists to optimise their performance. But that doesn’t mean you have to follow that method once you’re off the field, track, pool or court. This is where the Olympic jackets shine.
Throughout the history of the Olympics, we have seen styles come and go, from retro baggy fitted looks for the late 80s and 90s to ‘varsity’ styled jackets, all the way to where we are today with very performance-designed outfits.
In the unveiling of their entire wardrobe for the Paris 2024 Olympics, France has given one great nod to the past with a varsity-style inspired Olympic jacket that has even caught the eye of GQ.
It won’t be what the athletes wear on the podium or around events, but rather a streetwear option for supporters to purchase and athletes to wear in their downtime between events. But it got plenty thinking what are the best Olympic jackets ever worn at the world’s biggest sporting event.
Here’s our take.
The best Olympic jackets of all time: Podium finish
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Honourable mention: France (2024)
Just missing the podium is the latest of a long line of Olympic jackets, France’s 2024 Paris Olympics varsity-styled jacket — the one pictured below on the left.
Although it looks unbelievable, with the Olympic rings and massive embroidered ‘France’ around it, it’s unclear whether this will be the jacket that the French wear on the podium. If it is, then time will tell just how iconic of a fit it really is.
Bronze: Russia (2012)
Kicking off our podium of the best Olympic jackets of all time is Russia’s 2012 London Olympics kit that featured a cherry red colour and white — very simple combo but done amazingly.
The patterns on the kit are of some kind of winged-horse (potentially a unicorn), with other swirls and patterns that make it much more than just another bland national kit that we see so often in the Olympics.
Silver: Australia (1988)
Just missing the top spot is Australia’s Olympic jackets from the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
Created by Adidas, who never seem to miss when it comes to creating team kits, this design whilst being very simplistic is just very well done, with green and gold stripes trailing diagonally inward from the back panel, through to the abdomen area.
Australia usually makes its logos or Coat Of Arms quite small and nonintrusive, but on their 1988 Olympic jackets the Coat of Arms and Olympic rings stand out while not completely taking away from the rest of the design.
The back of the jacket features a large green and gold ‘Australia’, where the stripes begin from each end of the word and wrap around to the front.
Unfortunately for Australia, they finished 15th at the Seoul Olympics with three Gold medals, six Silver medals, and five Bronze.
Gold: USA (1992)
Securing gold in the style Olympics for one the greatest Olympic jackets of all time is the United States 1992 design, famously worn by Michael Jordan and the Dream Team in Barcelona.
Designed by Reebok, the jacket bears the USA’s traditional star-spangled banner design with the stars and blue background on the right arm and the red and white stripes across the front section of the jacket and left arm. Over the top of it all is a big ‘USA’ text.
Interestingly, in June 2023, the jacket worn by Jordan himself sold for $1.5 million USD ($2.2 million AUD roughly) as it is a well-known moment of his illustrious career, as he draped the American flag over one shoulder to cover the Reebok logo.
USA finished second at the 1992 Olympics, securing 37 gold medals, 34 silver, and 37 bronze.
