Uniform Honours Hillary and Tenzing

The Commonwealth Games team uniform to Delhi 2010 was revealed today as the New Zealand Olympic Committee confirmed the last of all 193 athletes to represent New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games.

The range of casual and training wear has been designed to honour Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay who are the motivation and inspiration behind this year’s games team. Featuring a silhouette of Mt Everest and the numbers 29028, the height in feet of Everest in when the climbers summited in 1953, the uniform also includes the names Tenzing and Norgay. The uniform is black and also features a silver fern.

“This year at Delhi our team will come together to honour Sir Ed and Tenzing,” said Chef de Mission Dave Currie. “Sir Ed was a great New Zealander. He went from being a humble beekeeper to standing on top of the world and he did that with determination and humility. I can think of no greater man to inspire our athletes at the Commonwealth Games.

“Tenzing was his climbing partner and together they bring to life the importance of a team. Honouring Hillary and Tenzing through our team uniform will inspire our athletes to represent New Zealand with pride.”

The uniforms will also remind the New Zealand public of the important place Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay hold in our country today. The New Zealand team uniforms include medal ceremony wear, t-shirts, hoodies, shorts, bags and running shoes and have been exclusively designed and manufactured by NZOC commercial partner, Peak Sport.

Peak Sport is known for outfitting top US NBA players including Jason Kidd, Shane Battier and Chuck Hayes and through its relationship with the NZOC now supplies clothing to a number of New Zealand sports including Basketball.

Formal wear for the team is supplied by Barkers Clothing and the opening ceremony uniform will be revealed in Delhi.