Stripes To Swoosh: Farah Confirms He’s Now With Nike

European Indoor 3,000-meter champion will make half-marathon debut on March 20.

Written by: Mario Fraioli

Mo Farah, a longtime adidas-sponsored athlete who recently repeated as the European indoor 3,000-meter champion in Paris, confirmed via Twitter on Thursday that he is officially a member of the Nike-backed Oregon Project.

“@keeganrathkamp @mariofraioli I’m officially a Nike boy now..!!!” Farah Tweeted to me around 11:45 PST on Thursday morning, after I inquired about an earlier Tweet of his which said: “Did a photo shoot with @lucozaderunning wearing the new ‘Oregon Project’ gear!!! Looking forward to seeing the pictures…!! YeeeeeZzzZzzz”

Farah, who began training with coach Alberto Salazar and the exclusively Nike-sponsored Oregon Project earlier this year, was still donning an adidas kit at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston in early February. The situation raised a few eyebrows, and speculation began that Farah might soon be switching sponsors, even though no announcement had been made by Farah, Nike or adidas.

He edged out his new training partner Galen Rupp–13:10.60 to 13:11.44–to set a new British and European indoor 5,000-meter record on February 19 in Birmingham, again donning an adidas kit.

The two teammates will race next in New York on March 20 at the New York City Half Marathon. It will be the debut half marathon for both athletes, and Farah’s first race in a Nike uniform. [sig:MarioFraioli]