The world is bracing itself for the 2024 Paris Olympics. From experienced athletes to ardent fans, all eyes are fixed on the home of the Eiffel Tower. The countdown to the Olympics has officially commenced, with athletic competitions slated to kick off on Friday, July 26, in a dazzling display of glamour and athleticism along the iconic banks of the Seine.

Whether it’s the elegant splendour of artistic swimming or the adrenaline-fuelled thrills of diving, weightlifting and wrestling, the Paris Olympics promises a spectacle like no other. Against this backdrop of athletic excellence, the evolution of the adidas GB team outfit serves almost as a sporting history lesson. From Tokyo 1964 to Paris 2024, the design ethos of adidas remains grounded in simplicity, with each new iteration paying homage to the classic British colours of red, white and blue.

As the countdown to the 2024 Games begins, the iconic three stripes of Adidas symbolise strength, determination and unwavering support for Britain’s finest athletes. Here, we catch up with three members of the GB team to talk about the Adidas GB kits, the moment they realised they wanted to be athletes, and more. 

DARYLL NEITA, 27, SPRINTER

At what moment did you realise you wanted to be an athlete?

Daryll Neita: I was scouted at a primary school sports day in year six. I was always someone who could beat the boys. There was a talent scout there and he said ‘she has to come to our local track and try it out’. So I’d go there twice a week, just having fun and progressing. I was competing for Lewisham, and then ended up competing for London. Now I’m for Great Britain, so it’s just been a gradual journey. I think I was mostly inspired by the London 2012 Olympics, seeing so many athletes come to my hometown and the effect it had on the country.

Being a Black woman raised in Lewisham, how do you think the Olympics represent you?

Daryll Neita: It’s inspiring to do my sport and progress in it and be as good as I can be. I know that there could be a little girl like me being like, ‘yeah, I want to achieve that one day’. Even with being from London, it’s a land of many opportunities, but it can also be the opposite. The 100-metre women’s race is one of the most exciting races on the planet right now, so being a part of that, and coming from Lewisham, is cool.

How do you deal with the pressure of representing Britain and overcoming the thoughts of failure?

Daryll Neita: Because I love what I do, it’s me against myself. Yes, I’m running against eight other amazing women who are just setting insane times at the minute, but when I tune into why I’m doing what I’m doing, it’s because I want to see how great I can be.

What’s your favourite album to listen to when training?

Daryll Neita: D-Block Europe. I’m a D-Block Europe girly and because they’re from Lewisham they just remind me of home.

How does wearing adidas make you feel as an athlete, especially when representing Great Britain in the Olympics?

Daryll Neita: It’s such a special company. Last year I was fortunate enough to be invited to the headquarters in Germany and I got to understand the essence of the brand. The story was so inspiring.

As an athlete, how do you think fashion and style impact your performance?

Daryll Neita: You need the kit that you’re wearing to feel good, and you want to look good because that’s when you perform your best. I know that; I want to feel A1 when I’m representing myself and my country.

SUNNI BRUMMITT, 29, BREAKDANCER

At what moment did you realise you wanted to be an athlete?

Sunni Brummitt: It’s just something I enjoyed. There wasn’t like a turning point that made me want to be an athlete.

What’s your favourite album to listen to when training?

Sunni Brummitt: I go through phases because if you bang out an album too much, it’s just dead. I started listening to the old 808INK albums quite a lot again. When they first came out, I rinsed them and then they literally came up on my Spotify like two weeks ago and I’m back in tune with that. 

How do you deal with the pressure of representing Great Britain and overcoming the thoughts of failure?

Sunni Brummitt: For me, it’s not anyone’s business. I do it just for me, I enjoy it. I genuinely enjoy competing. That’s the aspect of the dance that I work hard to be able to do. And if I mess up, it’s on me, so I’m not too stressed about all of that. I’m working hard. The thing that I would be pissed about is if I hadn’t put in the prep time before and done everything I could to compete the way I wanted to compete – so if I slip up and mess up, I’ll be disappointed.

How does wearing adidas make you feel as an athlete, especially when representing Great Britain in the Olympics?

Sunni Brummitt: I’m proud to wear adidas. The brand had quite a heavy part in the culture just image-wise. If you look back to the beginning of break dancing, you’ll see everything adidas branded with three stripes. So it’s quite cool to be representing where we’re at now. I think it makes a lot of sense for breakdancing to be branded by adidas.

KIERAN REILLY, 22, BMX RIDER

At what moment did you realise you wanted to be an athlete?

Kieran Reilly: At a young age, me and my friends saw all the kids at the skate park doing tricks. Then we suddenly had on our Christmas list that we wanted to have BMX. We all got BMXs for Christmas and then we just lived at the skatepark. A lot of my friends did it for a little bit and then left it alone, but I didn’t end up leaving it alone – I was just so hooked on it, spending all my time at the skatepark.

What’s your favourite album to listen to when training?

Kieran Reilly: A full album where I don’t need to skip anything would probably be AM by Arctic Monkeys or College Dropout by Kanye.  

How do you deal with the pressure of representing Great Britain and overcoming the thoughts of failure?

Kieran Reilly: It’s a mad feeling and it’s something that has come about a lot quicker in my career than I ever expected, which is amazing. The work that I’ve put in has paid off. I always try and just think about who I’m doing it for, and I’m doing it for me.