The Intersection of Flags and Speed Skating
How The Medal Winning Countries Have Done With Uniform Design
So, obviously, the Olympics are still going on and one of my favorite sports to watch has always been speed skating. Short track, long track, it’s always just seemed like a ton of fun. You get to go around a big circle as fast as you possibly can. The skates are bad-ass, but what I’ve been noticing is the uniform design. Each country does it a little differently, but some countries do a brilliant job at integrating their national flags into their uniforms.
Netherlands
The Dutch are players in the world of speed-skating and have been for years. (This is Irene Schouten who’s up to two golds so far in Beijing.) In terms of uniform design: well, obviously, you’re going to feature the color orange- but it’s the sleeves that really make this work. Blue, white and red- the colors of the Dutch flag. (Shout out to the ROC/Russia, who did a similar thing with their national colors, though down by the ankles.)
Sweden
Okay, you don’t even need me to tell you what country this bad-ass dude is from. (It’s Nils van der Poel, who also won gold in Beijing!) Obviously, it’s Sweden! The uniform features that perfect shade of blue just about everywhere and the calves, forearms, and head (which is kind of a nice touch, I think) feature the gold Nordic cross of the Swedish flag. Striking, badass, and excellent integration of the flag into the uniform.
South Korea
This is a more subtle example of integrating flags into speed skating uniforms, but it’s simultaneously subtle and instantly recognizable if you know anything about flags. The flag of South Korea features four trigrams which frame a red and blue Taegeuk in the center on a field of white. Those trigrams appear on the forearms and then in the opposite color on the lower legs. (This is South Korean speed skater Minseok Kim, who took bronze in the 1500 meters. )
Canada
Well, of course, the uniform is going to feature the maple leaf! Why wouldn’t it? But what I like about these is red on the arms and the subtle touches of white. It’s like Canada: After Dark. Or Canada: Bad Ass and ready to skate like hell. As uniforms, they look pretty damn cool and while “just the maple leaf” may seem like a lazy option, design-wise for integrating elements of the national flag, if you can keep it simple, why wouldn’t you? It’s Canada. Put the leaf front and center! (This is Isabelle Weidemann, who took silver in the 5,000 meters.)
USA
This, of course, is Erin Jackson, America’s newest speed-skating superstar and Gold Medal winner in the 500 meters. Of all the flags on this list, the US flag would be the hardest to really work into a uniform/suit design, but they did an excellent job. The dark blue of the torse with the American flag over the heart really focuses your eye toward the flag- but again, like with so many other countries, the arms are where the action is at. Stars and stripes, albeit a bit more abstract than you might expect highlight the edges.
Honorable Mentions: Poland, Czech Republic (Frustratingly, I can’t find good photos for either country’s uniform- but pretty much, both uniforms are essentially their flags.)