Former Canadian Olympic goalkeeper Mike Mahood helps send off Canadian men in style
PHOTO: Iain Smythe (left) being fitted by former National Team goalkeeper and two-time Olympian turned tailor Michael Mahood (right).
After a couple days of travel earlier this week, Canada’s men’s field hockey team has safely settled at the Athletes Village in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games.
If you’ve seen any photos of the team travelling, you will have noticed they were travelling in style.
That’s thanks largely in part to former Men’s National Team goalkeeper and two-time Olympian Michael Mahood, who has hung up his field hockey equipment in favour of measuring tape.
Mahood is now a tailor and runs Martin Fisher Tailors out of Vancouver, British Columbia.
He competed at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and 2008 Games in Beijing, and was part of a tradition that began at the 1998 World Cup and saw Canada’s men travel to major tournament – like the Olympic Games and World Cup – in style in suits.
The practice began as a blazer, then a suit off the rack, and has grown since then.
This year, Canada’s men were outfitted in custom tailored suits from Martin Fisher Tailors.
Two athletes who experienced that tradition early on were Scott Tupper and Mark Pearson, who were around for the 2008 Olympic Games, where they were teammates of Mahood, and the 2010 World Cup. The two veterans, who are set to become two-time Olympians in Rio, helped re-kindle the tradition with the help of Mahood.
The suits were designed by Mahood and made in Canada. And knowing that finances are always top of mind, they were heavily discounted for the men for the team to be able to not feel a large financial burden while continuing the tradition.
Martin Fisher Tailors is selling the specially designed suits as a fundraiser for the Men’s National Team, with all proceeds going back to the program. The goal is to sell 50 items by the time the Canadian men step on to the field for the first game of the Olympics on August 6th against Germany.
Here are the details:
The Suit – $799
Regularly $1099 – available in 4 colours (two shades of navy, charcoal & black)
The Sportscoat – $599
Regularly $899 – available in 3 colors (two shades of navy & black)
Inquiries about the suits can be directed to info@martinfishertailors.com.
More photos:
Watch Michael Mahood shares his best Olympic memories here:
