New Balance Official Competition Kit Provider

New Balance first provided kit for the athletics team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games. We now have a new arrangement that will last for 2-3 years and will see New Balance providing a bespoke design for all national team and staff kit.

New Balance was founded in Boston in 1906 by Irishman, William J Riley and is based in the United States, with manufacturing in the United Kingdom. The clothing company provides sporting apparel to a range of teams and individual athletes, such as Northern Ireland’s Ciara Mageean, who is part of the New Balance Team in Manchester.  Ciara said, “I’m very happy that I will be wearing New Balance apparel when I represent Northern Ireland & Ulster as well as when I compete as an individual. The kit is extremely well designed for competition and I know my Northern Ireland & Ulster team mates will be as comfortable in it as I am”

The new Northern Ireland & Ulster kit was first debuted by the team of 27 athletes who competed at the Manchester International, including James Hamilton (Ballymena Runners) and Jenna Breen (City of Lisburn AC). Both made their Senior Team debut at Manchester, with James claiming a bronze medal in the Men’s Para 1500m.

Jackie Newton, Director of Coaching and Athlete Development said, “We are very excited to launch the new kit – it is something we have been working on with New Balance since the Commonwealth Games after our athletes gave great feedback on the fit, design and enjoyment that they had in wearing it. It’s great to have the support of New Balance and I would like to thank them for the work they have done to date. We look forward to expanding the range available over the next 2-3 years. “