Nike

A little rain couldn’t stop 8,500 runners from lacing up and locking in for a nocturnal half marathon through Mexico City, the sixth stop of the After Dark Tour. Watch as five Nike employees take you through the unforgettable experience. #AfterDarkTour #NikeRunning #SwooshLife #JustDoIt

Volunteering two hours per week can make a lifetime of difference. Just ask Jasper Liau. At Nike, Jasper L. works as a Senior Financial Analyst, North America Direct Finance. For the last eight years, he’s also volunteered as a coach with Special Olympics Oregon (SOOR). He grew up playing soccer, though he had never coached before getting involved with SOOR — but that didn’t stop him from jumping in with local disabled athletes in Washington County, making sure they have positive experiences through sport, staying active, socializing and building important life skills. “Sport is one of my great joys in life, and to be able to share it, and all the benefits it brings, with these athletes is such a gift,” Jasper says. Today, in service of our commitment to train more coaches like Jason who are changing the game for young athletes, we proudly announce a global partnership with Special Olympics. This partnership expands on our more than two decades of support for SOOR and will set a new standard for global, inclusive coach education and increase access to sport in the Special Olympics Unified Sports® program, where athletes with and without intellectual disabilities (ID) play together on the same team. The partnership also aims to recruit 600 more Unified Sports volunteer coaches to more closely reflect the athletes they serve, and create more opportunities for young women and girls to access Unified Sports. Jasper says those who are hesitant to jump into coaching should take a look at his own background. He’s not your typical running coach with decades of experience, yet he still helped athletes from the Washington County Track & Field team qualify for the Special Olympic Oregon Summer State Games, which took place last weekend. Deep down, there’s a coach in all of us. Want to coach like Jasper? Learn how you can help power the future of youth sport on our coaching hub resources page: https://lnkd.in/gAzqeqxJ #Nike #SpecialOlympics #JustDoIt

Two world records broken — Nike athlete Faith Kipyegon's 1500m WR, forecast last week during her #Breaking4 attempt, and Nike athlete Beatrice Chebet's 5000m WR. New national records set. Personal bests across the board. Last weekend's Pre Classic at Eugene’s Hayward Field was packed with drama, suspense, energy, passion. If you're not yet a fan of track and field, these stunning athlete feats will bring you into the fold: https://lnkd.in/gGqpt3WQ #NikeRunning #PreClassic #JustDoIt

Every year in Portland, as well as in other key cities and employee backyards across the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan, the Nike Community Impact Fund (NCIF) recognizes local, grassroots organizations that are doing their part to make play possible for all youth in their communities. What’s special about NCIF is how the grants are chosen — by an employee selection committee, made up of Nike teammates who freely give of their time and energy. The committee shares its personal insights to help Nike determine who should receive funding. As someone who grew up about 20 minutes from Nike WHQ, Morgan Beltz-Hally, a senior manager on Nike’s North America Government & Public Affairs team, has seen a lot of the company’s community investments build over the years, including the renovation of her high school’s track. By joining this year’s NCIF employee grant selection committee, she’s had an opportunity to experience it from the inside out. “Our community programs and partnerships make up so much of the heartbeat of Nike, and it’s empowering to be at a company that really cares about giving back and investing in the communities where we live and work,” says Morgan. “To see it all in action is very impactful.” Since 2009, NCIF has awarded more than $16 million through 1665 grants and engaged nearly 3000 employees. This year, we provided $1.4 million in grants to support 130+ organizations — 34 of which are based in the Portland Metro Area. Learn more about the Nike Community Impact Fund at https://lnkd.in/eFqiD3YV #NCIF #SwooshLife #JustDoIt

The eyes of the football world are on Switzerland as 16 women’s national teams across Europe go head to head. Before its opening match, the Dutch women’s team traveled to Nike’s European Headquarters in Hilversum for a proper, celebratory send-off from our EHQ teammates — alongside young girls from one of EHQ’s beloved community partners, Favela Street, an organization that uses football to connect with local kids and foster community. #JustDoIt #SwooshLife #NikeFootball

Last week, thousands stood trackside at Stade Charléty in Paris, hearts pounding, as Faith Kipyegon chased the “impossible”: the first sub-4-minute mile by a woman.     Among them were seven Nike employees from around the world who had the opportunity to join an unforgettable Breaking4 experience that brought them into the soul of the city and the spirit of the sport. They ran through the streets of Paris with local run club 8lines, participated in a competitive relay led by urban running series Blocks League, and soaked in the culture that surrounded this historic attempt. But most of all, they witnessed what it means to push boundaries and dare to dream.    “It was an experience for the books,” says Pui Fong Wong, Sr. Specialist, Retail Asset Management. “A reminder that when women and Nike push boundaries, there’s no limit to what we can do.”    At Nike, moments like this aren’t just possible — they’re part of who we are. Because when you believe in breaking barriers, you create space for the world to believe too. #Breaking4 #NikeRunning #JustDoIt

Yesterday, Faith Kipyegon became the fastest woman to ever run the mile — again. No matter where you watched Breaking4, the emotions inside Stade Charléty were undeniable. Excitement. Nervousness. Elation. Pride. We take you trackside and go behind the lens during her historic attempt: https://lnkd.in/g2cXJHSh #Breaking4 #NikeRunning #JustDoIt

Tomorrow, at 8 p.m. CEST in Paris, Nike athlete Faith Kipyegon will attempt to break the 4-minute mile. Here's what she'll need to do. Dive into the many, many other factors the Nike team obsessed to help get Faith to her goal: https://lnkd.in/gCQmxC4v #Breaking4 #NikeRunning #JustDoIt

“If she crosses the line in under 4 minutes, it’ll be a new understanding of what’s possible for women in sport.” That’s Carrie Dimoff, footwear lead for Breaking4, Nike athlete Faith Kipyegon’s attempt to run a mile in under 4 minutes. Watch below to see how the Nike Innovation team geared up for this Thursday’s attempt — and learn more about why they’ve got faith: https://lnkd.in/gNPTYJr6 #Breaking4 #NikeRunning #JustDoIt

Ten years. Thousands of coaches. One mission: power the future of youth sport. This week at Swoosh Summer Academy in Chicago, Nike, in partnership with the Center for Healing and Justice through Sport (CHJS), celebrated a decade of coach training with Chicago Park District counselors and staff. Since launching in 2016, the program has equipped local recreation leaders with the tools to deliver high-quality, positive sport experiences, ensuring that kids across the city have access to trained coaches who inspire confidence, connection and joy through play. So far, more than 159,000 youth have benefited from those efforts. “At Nike, we’re improving sport access and experience for everyone,” says Joshua Peters, Senior Manager, Social & Community Impact — Central. “That means building partnerships at the neighborhood and city-level that create change and give youth sport coaches the necessary tools to make an impact.” This year’s day-long session brought together staff from neighborhoods across the city with special appearances by former Chicago Sky center Sylvia Fowles and Bears wide receiver D.J. Moore. To further support the evolution of youth sport in Chicago, Nike is providing a three-year grant to fund a new Director of Training role at Chicago Park District. This full-time position will oversee coach development and training citywide, helping scale impact far beyond the summer months. “Through Swoosh Summer Academy, Nike is powering the future of youth sport for generations to come,” says Josh. “My teammates have facilitated this work for years, and it’s an honor and a privilege for me to be a part of the evolution of youth coaching in Chicago.” Read more about this milestone for Swoosh Summer Academy: https://lnkd.in/gec8XSD6 #NikeMission #JustDoIt #SwooshLife