NAM.1998-06-201-3

Running shoes of Kriss Akabusi, 1993 season. Adidas; yellow, green, purple and turquoise upper; 27 yellow spikes and seven steel spikes set into yellow ‘wheels’ and then set into green sole. Kris Akabusi MBE joined the Royal Corps of Signals in 1975 as a trainee data telegraphist before switching to the Army Physical Training Corps six years later. He eventually reached the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2. After his discharge to the Army Reserve in 1983 Akabusi embarked upon a successful athletics career as a 400 metre hurdler and member of the 4x400 metres relay team. He won three medals at the 1984 and 1992 Olympics and three World Championship medals in 1987 and 1991, including gold in the 4x400 metres relay at the Tokyo games. In 1990 he also won gold medals in the 400 metre hurdles at the European Championships and Commonwealth Games. Akabusi later went on to become a television presenter. Upper, yellow, green, purple, turquoise, suede, plastic, man-made woven fabric, . Lower portion of upper at front, sides and back, of bright yellow suede. Vent has similarly coloured suede on each side of opening with eight pairs of eyelets for attaching lace. Back and side of upper heel of bright green plastic bearing the manufacturer’s title: ADIDAS on outer heel. Above the band of green plastic at centre back heel, purple plastic bearing the manufacturer’s logo which appears to be a yellow, stylized water lily. Upper edge and tongue edges covered with turquoise cotton pile fabric. Remainder of upper of bright yellow, man-made woven fibre. On each side of foot three diagonal bands of purple & green fabric, each band 3/8in in width. Tongue: yellow, man-made woven fibre. Padded and edged with turquoise cotton pile fabric. On upper tongue a green plastic patch edged with purple plastic and bearing, in purple, the manufacturer’s title: ADIDAS. Laces, yellow, man-made fibre, chevron. Each free end covered with 3/4 in wide clear plastic. Sole, green and yellow, plastic and steel, . Green sole with twenty-three yellow wedges, four at the top, the remainder at instep. Twenty-seven yellow spikes and seven steel spikes set into yellow ‘wheels’ and then set into green sole. Yellow instep bearing manufacturer’s title: ADIDAS. Heel, yellow and green, plastic. Yellow heel with horseshoe shaped green at base. Inner sole, white, foam rubber; cotton knit, .