2022 Winter Olympics – Team USA ‘rockstar’ Matt Hamilton and his ‘wild’ multicolored curling shoes

In a tournament that features perhaps the world’s most expensive display of sports equipment, with meticulously designed skis and bobsleds costing five-figure sums, viewers might notice an American curler appear to have tipped into rainbow pattern skateboard trainers.

Matt Hamilton’s vibrant Nikes, contrasting the plain black shoes of nearly every other Beijing curler, are customized for his sport with a gripper attached to one sole and a slider to the other.

They are purchased from the collection of skateboard champion Paul Rodriguez.

“I just thought they were adorable,” Hamilton said ahead of the Americans’ round robin opener against the Russian Olympic Committee.

“Here we are with wild shoes.”

The 32-year-old stands out among his mild-mannered, short-backed teammates and opponents and his opponents in Beijing with his thick mustache, shoulder-length rockstar hairstyle and tattooed sleeve.

He gained notoriety in his home country following his appearance in the NBC documentary “American Rockstars” which follows the curling team of four Midwesters who won gold in Pyeongchang.

With a colorful personality to match his look, Hamilton helped Team USA 2018 through five playoff games to win gold.

USA are well placed to defend their title in Beijing, led by captain John Shuster.

The only thing brighter than the gold medals around the necks of Americans as they stand on the podium in Beijing would be the shoes on Matt Hamilton’s feet.

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