ROKA Sports has announced that it is ‘sending 18 athletes to compete at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro’. Representing eight countries from around the globe, the athletes will be utilising ROKA’s performance apparel and gear as they vie for medals in the Rio 2016 triathlon.
Rob Canales, Co-Founder and CEO of ROKA said, “It is an honour to have world-class athletes put their faith in ROKA innovation for the most important competition of their lives. These Olympians and Paralympians demand the most from themselves, and from the gear they depend on during training and competition. ROKA was founded by athletes, and we rise to that challenge with pride. The 2016 medal contenders have inspired us to raise the bar and redefine the limits of performance, and we share their dedication and passion for excellence.”
ROKA athletes at the Olympics will include Gwen Jorgensen, Katie Zaferes, Joe Maloy and Gregory Billington for Team USA; Carolina Routier, Mario Mola Diaz for Team España; Kirsten Sweetland for the Canadian Olympic Team; Nicky Samuels and Andrea Hewitt for the New Zealand Team; Flora Duffy for the Bermuda Team; Emma Moffatt and Ashleigh Gentle for the Australia Team; Vicky Holland from the UK; and Vendula Frintová from the Czech Republic. ROKA athletes on the USA Paralympic Team include Chris Hammer, Krige Schabort and Grace Norman.
ROKA adds that its roster includes highly accomplished athletes. Gwen Jorgensen earned the title of ITU World Triathlon Series Champion in 2014 and 2015. Mario Mola Diaz currently holds the men’s #1 ranking in the ITU World Triathlon Series, and Flora Duffy is ranked #1 in the women’s category.
Athletes in the Rio 2016 triathlon event will compete on a course that includes a beach swim at Copacabana. An estimated 500,000 fans are expected to watch the event, and it will be a popular televised event at the 2016 Games. A challenging hill course is planned for the bike segment, and the medal hopefuls will compete on a ‘phenomenal run course’. ROKA’s Gwen Jorgensen and Javier Gómez Noya won the test triathlon event in Rio last year.
ROKA athletes will utilize the company’s patented RAPIDSIGHT technology in the R1 swim goggle, a design that ‘takes advantage of innovative engineering, optics and architecture’. Optimized for performance, ROKA triathlon apparel will be worn in competition, and athletes will wear the company’s performance wetsuits if conditions are cold. The company adds that the full line of ROKA swimwear and equipment has been utilized during training.
