Arena and USA Swimming Launch U.S. Swim Team Kit for Summer 2021
National Team athletes who qualify for Tokyo to wear newly released Americana uniform
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Dec. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- USA Swimming and global swimwear brand arena today unveiled their inspirational, one-of-a-kind Team USA Bishamon Collection kit ahead of next summer's big event. Select pieces of the Americana branded uniform, which will be worn by every U.S. swimmer within the competition venue in Tokyo, go on sale for the holidays December 14.
"Arena has truly outdone themselves with the Bishamon Collection, not only creating stylish pieces for both our athletes and fans but so seamlessly marrying the rich tradition of the Japanese culture with the heart and soul of our team," USA Swimming Chief Commercial Officer Shana Ferguson said. "We look forward to seeing these pieces on the world stage, as well as across the social realm from all the fans cheering us on at home."
"We are honored to be the Exclusive Outfitter of the United States national swim team. From the first days of our partnership, our primary objective was to fully integrate the USA National Team staff into our product development process to ensure that our National Team range wasn't just the best looking apparel on the global stage, but also met the demanding specifications of the world's best swim team," says Mark Pinger, General Manager for arena North America.
Arena, the Exclusive Outfitter of the U.S. swim team since 2013, invoked the warrior spirit and divine favor of Japanese tradition in the launch of the Bishamon Collection. One of the Seven Gods of Fortune in Japanese folklore, Bishamon (or Bishamonten) is an armor-clad warrior god, a guardian deity who protects and brings divine favor in battle. He carries a spear in one hand and, in the other, a pagoda symbolizes a divine treasure house, whose contents he both guards and gives away.
The USA Bishamon Collection honors this spirit, celebrating the fighter that exists in everyone, and supporting them with arena's distinctive armor so that they can be at their very best during the heat of the battle, whether it's in a global competition pool or a community center training session.
For the collection's design, arena combined the Bishamon's warrior expression with the pattern of his armor, the Bishamon Kikko, inspired by the shell of a tortoise and representing longevity and good luck. The result is a design that symbolizes both protection and good fortune, with a singular ultimate goal: victory.
The collection's available pieces, including hooded jackets, half zip shirts, tank tops, raglan t-shirts, Bermuda shorts, long tights, and men's and women's swimwear, can be viewed at www.usaswimming.org/tokyokit and purchased at www.arenasport.com. Additional pieces will be available in the Spring of 2021.
Keep up with all the latest USA Swimming news by following @usaswimming on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
About USA Swimming
As the National Governing Body for the sport of swimming in the United States, USA Swimming is a 400,000-member service organization that promotes the culture of swimming by creating opportunities for swimmers and coaches of all backgrounds to participate and advance in the sport through clubs, events and education. Our membership is comprised of swimmers from the age group level to the Olympic Team, as well as coaches and volunteers. USA Swimming is responsible for selecting and training teams for international competition including the Olympic Games and strives to serve the sport through its core objectives: Build the base, Promote the sport, Achieve competitive success. For more information, visit www.usaswimming.org.
About arena
arena has revolutionized the world of aquatic sport through insightful collaboration with world class athletes and the development of cutting-edge competitive swimwear since 1973. Today, this spirit of collaboration and innovation lives on through a continuous evolution of advanced materials and Italian design that improves the performance, style and expression of all those who chose arena. From leading the lanes to living in style, arena is dedicated to providing all swimmers with the tools they need to express themselves, feel confident, win and achieve more. Because in arena, you can.
SOURCE USA Swimming
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