By Christine Yeh

Photos: Getty Images

 

Christophe Laporte secures Bronze in Men’s Road Race

Mutaz Essa Barshim soars for Bronze in Men’s High Jump

Josh Kerr claims the Silver in Men’s 1500M

Alex Yee secures Men’s Triathlon Gold

Trinity Rodman & Team USA Women’s Soccer win Gold

Every four years, all eyes are on a single momentous gathering as the world anticipates the Summer Olympic Games. Athletes representing over 200 countries converge in the host city to exhibit athletic excellence, respect and friendship, the three values symbolizing the Olympics. Spectators from around the world and the host city gather to cheer them on, along with millions tuning in on TV and via digital and social media platforms. It’s a special time, as all taking part unite under one flag—that of the Olympics.

I have watched the Olympics since I was a little girl, the first one being the 1984 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Since then, I have looked forward to every Olympiad, energized with the same excitement I felt from the very first time watching, especially in the last 10 years when I became a runner. It has always been my dream to participate as a spectator in person, and Oakley made that a reality this summer when they invited me to attend as their guest at the Paris 2024 games. Presented with this exclusive opportunity, I could hardly contain my excitement. Not only was I going to experience the Olympics in person, but I was doing it with the sport eyewear brand that I have been wearing since I became a runner over a decade ago. It was Oakley who ignited my passion for road racing when shortly after I began my running journey, the brand invited me to take part in the Oakley Mini 10K in NYC’s Central Park. Since then, I have completed over 75 total races, including seven NYC Marathon finishes—all wearing Oakley sport sunglasses.

It was only fitting that I had the opportunity to watch the track and field competitions at the games. Since becoming a runner, I have developed a newfound appreciation for the athleticism displayed by the women and men of this discipline—seeing them compete in person was awe inspiring. And just as notable was the impressive number of athletes wearing sport sunglasses while competing. When I first started running, I was surprised to be among very few runners who wore sunglasses, but over the past decade, this has taken an upward trend. Not only are there more everyday runners wearing sport suns, but more elite and professional sprinters and runners than ever are incorporating them into their run kits. Of course, performance eyewear is not limited to running—they have always played a large role in road cycling and mountain biking, but have since made broader expansions into hurdling, high jumping, rowing, beach volleyball and so much more. This was ever so apparent at the Paris 2024 games, with athletes across multiple disciplines donning them in competition. Leading the way in framing these faces is Oakley, with over 2,000 athletes representing the brand as members of Team Oakley in Paris.

“Throughout the games, we saw an unprecedented number of athletes opting for Oakley frames, with Inner Spark Sphaera styles leading the charge,” notes Corey Hill, global head of Oakley marketing. “This design offered both style and functionality, meeting the high demands of Olympic-level competition. The Games highlighted Oakley’s dominance in the performance eyewear space, as our frames became the clear go-to choice, with Team Oakley winning a total of 97 medals.” In any sport, performance is the top priority, and achieving peak performance requires premium optics along with comfort and fit, which is why athlete feedback is central to fueling Oakley’s innovation pipeline, according to Hill. “We’ve implemented athlete feedback across all our latest performance pieces, from the QNTM Kato to Sphaera and BiSphaera styles, to ensure that the product fits well and has the technology to ensure the optimal visual clarity across a wide range of sports disciplines and environments.”

Oakley launched the QNTM Kato style and Inner Spark collection timed with the commencement of the Paris 2024 games. QNTM Kato is the next iteration of Kato, described by Oakley as the “groundbreaking frame that revolutionized the face of sports.” Designed to be lightweight and rigid to mimic the structural properties of a frame, the upgraded Kato combines design and innovation with its extended wraparound design for a wider field of view, and was seen on many athletes’ faces in competition. The Inner Spark collection was designed to strike a balance between control and release, and chaos and order, with an organic pattern that takes cues from the movement of the human nervous system. An unexpected color combination of its neuronic pad print in celeste blue and silver accents with a neon tennis ball yellow frame chassis truly made the eyewear stand out amongst the athletes wearing them in competition, whether you were watching them in person or on screen. Along with the frame styles, Oakley also launched a series of short film clips featuring Team Oakley athletes across disciplines igniting their Inner Spark, inspired by the raw emotions and challenges they face, and must conquer on their Olympic journey. Inner Spark also captures the authentic stories of non-competing Team Oakley athletes through visuals revealing their true selves. At the heart of Inner Spark’s message is that winning goes beyond victories and medals—it’s an inside job of winning the game from within, and overcoming the fear, fatigue and failures that come with being an athlete by channeling that inner spark.

While performance in competition is paramount to creating eyewear for athletes, Oakley also prioritizes the athlete’s overall Olympic experience. To help them prepare for the biggest competition of their lives, Oakley built the Exoplanetary Bunker at the famed Palais Brongniart located in the heart of Paris as a safe haven for athletes to escape from the chaos of the games. “Our athletes are at the center of everything we do, and our priority in Paris and beyond is to enable our athletes for greatness,” says Caio Amato, global head of Oakley marketing. “The bunker was the go-to destination for athletes competing in the games to relax, get away from the outside noise and get inspired.” Immersing visitors in the brand’s rebellious history, the bunker offered a journey through nearly 50 years of Oakley’s past and present, and the vision that shapes its future. Team Oakley athletes and guests were able to reset, recharge and watch the games in a spacious auditorium while enjoying refreshments and music. The bunker also featured an athlete exclusive area, as well as different rooms and experiences, each dedicated to storytelling around Oakley, including the Muzm, a showcase of its most iconic products; the Innovation Area, featuring the brand’s cutting-edge designs along with the latest product innovations; the Lens Cut Bar, where athletes were able to personalize and custom make their own Sphaera frame by choosing from seven exclusive lens shapes and witness their lenses cut by a five-axis machine. Products beyond eyewear were also on display including the newly launched surfing helmets and offshore surf apparel with the U.S. Surfing Team.

Previously known as the Oakley Safe House, the Exoplanetary Bunker has been at every Olympics since 1996. “This year, we chose to rewrite history and host athletes, media, customers and friends to have a once-in-a-lifetime brand immersion,” Amato shares. “At Oakley, we don’t believe in predicting the future; we believe in creating it. The bunker experience was a standout at the Paris Olympics and a true embodiment of finding solutions and wrapping them in art! This year, we saw an incredible turnout, with athletes and guests being fully immersed in the cutting-edge technology and design that Oakley is known for. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with attendees expressing how the experience truly elevated their perception of the brand and inspired them. It was truly the place to be in Paris during the games.” Continuing its reign as the official eyewear of Team USA, the bunker’s location underground the Team USA house also generated a buzz among American athletes, rivaling that of other well-known powerhouse brand sponsors at the games.

Beyond the solid concrete walls of the bunker, Oakley’s brand visibility was palpably seen and felt throughout the Paris 2024 games, commanding a monumental presence on and off the competition fields and throughout the city itself. While much of this visibility was carried and displayed by Team Oakley athletes, the brand’s innovative legacy in eyewear and sport culture is also a testament to the fan devotion it has generated over the past five decades. “The popularity of Oakley frames among a broader audience, including non-Team Oakley athletes and fans, was something we anticipated and hoped for, but the scale exceeded our expectations. Oakley’s heritage and reputation resonated far beyond our immediate community and reverberated throughout the excitement in the city and around the globe,” remarks Amato. “This year, we reached unprecedented heights and unmatched brand interactions with recognition from the whole industry. We are super proud of all of our Team Oakley athletes, friends and family and customers alike, and we are already looking forward to LA 2028.”

Four years might seem far away, but Oakley is already in deep planning mode for the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles. Reflecting on the brand’s onward vision, Hill shares: “As we look forward to LA 2028 and future Olympic Games, Oakley’s vision is to enable athletes by pushing the boundaries of performance and style. Our goal is to remain at the forefront of sport eyewear innovation, ensuring that athletes have the best possible tools to achieve their peak performance.” Continuing its mission in moving the game forward, Oakley has begun to build new partnerships to carry on its Olympics presence, announcing a multi-year agreement with USA Football’s U.S. National Teams as its official eyewear partner, as well as welcoming Mexican National Flag Football superstar and global ambassador for the sport, Diana Flores to Team Oakley. With flag football set to make a historic debut at the LA 2028 games, the goal is to empower the next generation of football stars. “With the Olympics being the world’s biggest sports stage, it gives fast progressing sports and sport icons such as flag football and Diana Flores a global platform. These big global moments are important to us as they give visibility and awareness to some of our core sports and inspire the next generation of athletes. Our approach is the right athlete, right product, right moment, right story, and with Oakley Headquarters in LA’s backyard, LA 28 will be iconic for Oakley.”

From a personal perspective, it was truly an honor to be a part of the Paris 2024 games with Oakley and to be able to share my experience with our readers and followers. From attending the track and field competitions at Stade de France to visiting the Oakley bunker, to hearing feedback shared from athletes and other guests alike, and absorbing the Olympic vibe throughout Paris, I witnessed firsthand the incredible impact a single brand can make with the innovation, creativity and dedication provided to its athletes, and the aura and culture it has created in the sport and optical arenas. The excitement that Oakley generated in Paris inspires and transcends to everyday athletes and those who love the brand. As a runner who never sets out for a run or a race without her sport sunglasses, I can confidently declare that in running and other sports, it is no longer just about the clothes and the shoes—performance sport eyewear has earned its rightful place as a vital part of an athlete’s gear, and Oakley has solidified that spot for so many. What’s even more amazing is the fact that this isn’t only limited to elite and pro athletes—Oakley reinforces the message that athletes from all walks of life and levels of competition deserve a place on their own podiums, encouraging us to channel our inner spark.

In four years, all eyes will once again be focused on the Olympics world stage. Until then, the flame ignited by our inner spark will continue to burn bright as Oakley looks to carry this momentum into LA 2028 and beyond. ■