Q: An AJC article on Aug. 13 stated that many of the Team USA’s gymnastic leotards “have close to 5,000 Swarovski crystals each.” How much did each of those leotards cost? Who paid for them?
—Fran Jordan, Peachtree Corners
A: Each member of the U.S. Olympic gymnastics team was custom-fitted with eight "competition leotards decorated with 3,500 to 5,000" crystals each, CNN Money reported.
The red, white and blue leotards the U.S. gymnasts wore while winning the team gold medal cost about $1,200 each, according to media reports.
Improved production technology has increased the number of crystals on U.S. gymnastic leotards since the 2008 Olympics.
That year, the team’s leotards included 184 crystals. The number jumped to 1,188 in 2012, The New York Times reported
Swarovski crystals “have the most shine and sparkle,” Kelly McKeown, an executive vice president at GK Elite, which makes the leotards, told the Times.
USA Gymnastics pays for the costs of the U.S. team’s outfits, Cosmopolitan reported.
Also, Under Armour is in an eight-year deal as the official sponsor of USA Gymnastics and will provide the organization with apparel through the 2020 Olympics.
The Under Armour logo is visible on the U.S. Gymnastics team’s leotards, even though the company isn’t an official sponsor of the Olympics.
Andy Johnston with Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
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