The new Nike running shoes designed for disabled athletes
While most of us think nothing of slipping on our shoes, tying our laces and heading out for a run, for runners with disabilities the process can be much more difficult. So kudos to Nike for designing a shoe that can be used by anyone: the Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 35 FlyEase (try saying that after a few pints). The Nike FlyEase system features a zip-and-strap system, allowing the runner to open and close the shoe in one fluid motion. This gives runners who may be unable to tie laces the freedom to get the shoe on and off without assistance, and also eliminates the potential problem of laces coming undone during a race or run.
Sophie Hahn, a Nike-sponsored athlete who won gold in the T38 100m at the 2016 Rio Paralympics, has cerebral palsy and says the shoes are exactly what she’s looking for.
‘The Nike FlyEase makes you feel confident,’ she says. ‘I can just turn up and not worry about tying or untying them, they’re so much easier to put on and take off. You also know that when you run, they aren’t going to come undone, there’s no need to keep bending down tying them up. They make a massive difference.
‘They also look good and that definitely helps me to feel confident and be ready to perform. They’re really comfortable too. The fact that Nike has developed this product for athletes like myself who find it difficult to tie or untie trainers or spikes means a lot. After all, it’s a crucial part of being a sprinter: you need good footwear to do good training sessions.’
