Shaikira King: The UK’s Youngest Nike Athlete
For many aspiring athletes, both juniors and seniors, a brand deal is the ultimate ‘Mum, I made it!’ moment that transforms their love for sport from a hobby to a career. This became Shaikira King’s reality, as the then-15-year-old middle-distance runner picked up her first brand deal with Nike.
She became the youngest athlete in the UK to secure a Nike contract – only two years older than the youngest in the world: American soccer player, McKenna Whitham, who signed at 13 years old.
Having grown up in and around the sport, with both her parents and older sister, Indienne (Indie) King, being international athletes, it is nothing short of second nature to be mixing it with the best. King spoke about how this gave her the belief that international standard is attainable:
“From when Indie started running, I was watching. So, when I could run my first race at Prestwold [primary schools cross country] I was so ready for it. I won it by miles, and it was because I was so inspired by Indie and what she’d done. Having my mum and dad who were both GB athletes, it made it seem possible for me to have those experiences.”
King’s coach, John Skevington, spoke about his philosophy to optimise the young athlete’s success – which is of the utmost importance. The onset of overtraining ailments could be of the highest detriment. Skevington said:
“My philosophy of understanding how the energy systems work and link together, along with low mileage and high intensity certainly contributed to bring the best from her and will, I am certain, be translated by her Nike professional support team.”
This summer, the Wreake and Soar Valley athlete earned her first GB vest at the U18 European Championships, Slovakia. King claimed silver over the 800m at her first major championships:
“I loved that trip… It was like one of the biggest things I’ve ever done but that motivated me and inspired me. It was really nerve-racking; there was so much adrenaline being there and being in front of the crowd was so good. I enjoyed every minute of it.”
This adds a collection of English representational honours, after having to decline a GB vest for the European Cross Country due to her age.
Undoubtedly, European success was the cherry on top of King’s recent deal. A review of her junior career thus far highlights why the now-16-year-old has been headhunted. Her first national medal, outside school competition, came as a silver at the inter-county cross country as an under-13 in 2020. This began a landslide of national success over all terrains, with 11 national medals collected, including four gold.
There is no denying that the athletes Nike sign often go on to achieve incredible feats. Examples of Sir Mo Farah, Keely Hodgkinson, and Laura Muir spring to mind on the athletics scene; not to mention household names across sport such as Kylian Mbappé and Emma Raducanu. For some, being in such company could be overwhelming, but King sees it as inspirational and a motivator for what could lie ahead, stating “to know that I’m in that [Nike] family is insane. To be in that family and know I’ve got that support to be successful like them is really good.”
The deal comes at a time when British middle-distance running is rich with talent in junior and senior ranks. Olympic selectors were spoilt for choice, and there is an endless crop of names being hailed as future stars. King’s deal has cemented her spot in these conversations, alongside names such as Innes Fitzgerald and Phoebe Gill – the latter competing at the Paris 2024 Olympics. Fierce competitors on the track, much of the 2023 track season was spent with King and Gill battling for the UK top spot in the under-17 women’s 800m rankings. Gill, a year senior to King, eventually prevailed with a 2:01.5 at the BMC Gold Standard Race, Watford that August.
“The good thing about this contract is there’s no pressure, it’s about helping me become the one of the best. The biggest change is wearing their kit and representing the brand which is what I want to do… It’s a really nurturing contract, so that made me want to go with them. It’s quite family oriented,” said King when exploring her contract. This included key aspects such as the range of footwear available, a crucial factor when it came to deciding if Nike was the correct fit.
