The Secret to Olympic Gold?
The secret to winning Olympic gold may lie in an innovative new shoe made with grains of rice.
The Japanese sneakers, custom made by Hitoshi Mimura, will be put to the test by United State distance runners and Beijing Olympic entrants Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor. Instead of being infused with some ultra high tech materials or cutting edge shock absorbers, these shoes go back to basics -- their secret lies in the rice integrated in the soles.
"The husks, which are ground and imbedded in the rubber soles of racing flats, are designed to absorb water and to provide up to 10 percent better traction along the 26.2-mile marathon course at the Beijing Olympics in August," the NY Times explains.
59-year-old Mimura is a former marathon runner himself, as well as being a master craftsman for athletic brand Asics, so he really could be on to something with these rice-husk shoes.
Just one more thing to look forward to seeing at the August games!
The Japanese sneakers, custom made by Hitoshi Mimura, will be put to the test by United State distance runners and Beijing Olympic entrants Ryan Hall and Deena Kastor. Instead of being infused with some ultra high tech materials or cutting edge shock absorbers, these shoes go back to basics -- their secret lies in the rice integrated in the soles.
"The husks, which are ground and imbedded in the rubber soles of racing flats, are designed to absorb water and to provide up to 10 percent better traction along the 26.2-mile marathon course at the Beijing Olympics in August," the NY Times explains.
59-year-old Mimura is a former marathon runner himself, as well as being a master craftsman for athletic brand Asics, so he really could be on to something with these rice-husk shoes.
Just one more thing to look forward to seeing at the August games!
Trend Themes
1. Rice-husk Shoes - Creating shoes using rice husks as a key component can provide better traction for athletes.
2. Natural Materials - The use of natural materials like rice husks in shoe production offers innovative alternatives to high-tech materials.
3. Back-to-basics Design - Designing shoes with simple, basic elements like rice husks in the soles can lead to improved performance.
Industry Implications
1. Sporting Goods - The sporting goods industry can explore the use of rice husks in shoe production for enhanced performance and traction.
2. Footwear - The footwear industry can incorporate natural materials like rice husks in their designs to offer eco-friendly and innovative products.
3. Athletics - The athletics industry can adopt back-to-basics shoe design using rice husks to improve athletes' performance.
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