Athletics & Track Kit: Sublimated Vests and Shorts

An athletics squad is the most varied group a kit buyer will ever dress. One order has to cover sprinters, distance runners, jumpers and throwers, juniors and seniors, and athletes who want very little fabric alongside athletes who want full coverage.

This guide sets out how UAE schools, clubs and academies can plan a track and field kit that works for every event group, carries the club design clearly and can be repeated each season.

See our custom athletics kits page for the garment options.

What this guide covers

• Core garments: vests, crop tops, shorts and tights
• Modest and full-coverage options
• Kit by event group
• Warm-up tracksuits and layers
• School sports day and house colours
• Number bibs and sublimated club designs
• Fabric and sizing
• Buyer checklist
• Start your athletics kit
• Frequently asked questions

Core garments: vests, crop tops, shorts and tights

Vests

The vest, or singlet, is the garment that identifies the team. Check three things on a sample: the armholes should be deep enough for a full arm swing without gaping, the neckline should sit flat, and the body should be long enough to stay over the waistband when the athlete reaches up.

Offer a standard back and a racer back if you can. Some athletes find a racer back frees the shoulders; others prefer the coverage of a standard cut.

Crop tops

Crop tops are worn by many sprinters and jumpers in senior competition, usually with short tights or briefs. Treat them as an option within the range, not the default. For school squads, the vest should remain the standard garment, with any alternative left to the athlete and school policy.

Shorts

There are three common types. Split-leg running shorts with an inner brief are light and free at the hip, and are favoured by distance runners. Square-cut shorts with a longer leg suit juniors, throwers and general squad use. Close-fitting short tights are preferred by sprinters and hurdlers, because there is no loose fabric at the thigh.

Leggings and tights

Full-length and three-quarter tights are worn for training, warm-up and competition, and are the base of most modest kits. Specify a flat waistband with a drawcord and flat seams on the inner leg.

Modest and full-coverage options

Every athlete should be able to compete in team colours. Athletics kit is available in men’s and unisex, women’s modest and Muslim women’s hijab-friendly fits.

• Long-sleeved top in the vest design, with a longer body length and a relaxed cut.
• Full-length tights or loose training trousers in the team colour, worn alone or under longer shorts.
• Sports hijab in a matching colour, in a light fabric that stays secure at speed.

The long-sleeved top needs the same clear front panel as the vest, so that a competition number can be pinned in the same position. Order the modest set in the first production run, from the same artwork, so that colours match exactly.

For more detail, see modest sportswear for UAE schools and the sports hijab guide.

Kit by event group

Athletes in different events move differently and have different builds. A single vest pattern in a single fit will suit some and frustrate others.

Sprints, hurdles and jumps

These athletes generally want a close fit with nothing loose. For jumpers, loose fabric can brush a bar or leave a mark in the sand, so close-fitting bottoms are the practical choice. Hurdlers need free movement at the hip, which short tights or split shorts both provide.

Middle and long distance

Distance runners spend the longest time in their kit, so weight and seams matter most. Choose the lightest fabric in the range, an open mesh if available, and check the armhole and side seams for anything that could rub over many laps.

Throws and field events

Throwers need room across the shoulders, back and hips, and usually prefer a looser vest or a T-shirt with square-cut shorts or tights. Make sure the size range extends far enough at the upper end, and that the larger sizes are graded for a broader build instead of simply being longer. A shot putter’s kit also takes chalk and abrasion at the neck and shoulder, so a more robust knit is sensible.

Kit options by event group

Warm-up tracksuits and layers

Athletes spend far more time waiting than competing. Between rounds they need a layer that goes on and off easily, and during the UAE season, early-morning sessions and air-conditioned indoor areas can feel cool after a hard effort.

A tracksuit jacket with a full zip and trousers with zips at the lower leg, which can be pulled off over spikes, is the standard set. Add a team T-shirt for warm-up drills. Coaches and team managers usually wear the same jacket with a polo, so the whole delegation is recognisable at a meet.

Tracksuits can carry an embroidered or printed crest instead of full sublimation, which keeps them usable across several seasons even if the competition vest design changes.

School sports day and house colours

Sports day is a different order from squad kit. It covers the whole school, the garments are simple, and the priority is that every child is in the right house colour.

• Use one T-shirt style in each house colour, with the house name or emblem printed on the front or back.
• Choose house colours that are clearly different from a distance. Two similar blues or a red and an orange are hard for judges to tell apart at the finish line.
• Give staff and officials a separate colour so that pupils and parents can find them.
• Collect sizes by class well ahead of the event, and add spares in the most common sizes for new joiners.

House T-shirts are also worn for PE and inter-house events all year, so they belong in the wider school sportswear plan. See school sportswear and PE kits: a buyer’s overview and our school sports kits page.

Number bibs and sublimated club designs

Competition numbers and relay bibs

At most meets, the organiser issues a number that is pinned to the front of the vest, and sometimes the back. Leave that area of the design clear and place the club or school name across the upper chest, above where the number sits. A name printed across the middle of the vest is hidden for the whole competition.

For school events, reusable fabric bibs are useful: numbered bibs for cross-country and sports day, and coloured bibs to identify relay legs or houses. Rules on numbers, relay kit and logo sizes differ between organisers, so check your own federation’s or competition’s current rules before the artwork is approved.

Why sublimation suits athletics

A vest is a small garment made of very light fabric, and a heavy print can stiffen it. Sublimation dyes the design into the fabric, so colour fades, stripes, names and sponsor logos add no extra layer. It also means the modest long-sleeved top and the vest can be produced from one artwork file in the same colours.

Sublimation works on polyester fabrics and is fixed once produced. Our guide to sublimation, printing and embroidery for sports jerseys compares the methods, and the garment printing service page explains how artwork should be supplied.

Fabric and sizing

Fabric by event intensity

As a general rule, the longer and more continuous the effort, the lighter and more open the fabric should be. Distance vests are usually the lightest knits in a range, sprint and jump garments use smooth stretch knits, and throws and warm-up garments use knits with more body.

These are recommendations for UAE conditions, not performance promises. Ask for swatches of each fabric and compare them side by side. Final specification will be confirmed during quotation. For background, read breathable sports fabrics for the UAE climate.

Sizing a mixed squad

An athletics squad can run from a slight junior distance runner to a senior thrower, so do not assume a standard size curve. Have every athlete try a size set, and record the top size and the bottom size separately, because many athletes need different sizes for each.

Athletes can try a size set at our Jebel Ali showroom, and sizes are kept on record so that new athletes can be added later. The measuring guide helps those who cannot attend.

Mustang recommendation: plan the range by event group before you plan it by gender or age. Decide which top and which bottom each group will wear, add the modest set, then apply one design across all of them. A range built from a single vest and a single pair of shorts tends to leave some athletes without kit that suits their event.

Buyer checklist

• Squad list by event group, with age range and numbers in each.
• Garments chosen for each group: vest, crop top, shorts type, tights.
• Modest set and sports hijab included in the first order.
• Front panel of the vest kept clear for the competition number.
• Club or school crest and sponsor logos supplied as vector artwork with colour references.
• Warm-up tracksuit and coach clothing specified.
• Sports day house colours confirmed and checked for contrast.
• Federation or competition kit rules checked for the current season.
• Top and bottom sizes recorded separately for every athlete.

Start your athletics kit

Every order begins with a free design mock-up and a free sample against your confirmed order (LPO), and your sizes and artwork are stored for repeat orders and new-athlete kit. Athletes can try a size set in person at our Jebel Ali showroom before committing. Delivery timelines are confirmed during quotation.

Browse athletics kits, see how we work with clubs and academies, or return to sports uniforms. Then request a quote or request a sample.

Frequently asked questions

What does a basic athletics team kit include?

A team vest and a choice of shorts or short tights, with a tracksuit for warm-up. Most squads add full-length tights, a long-sleeved modest top and a sports hijab so that every athlete has a suitable option.

Can throwers and sprinters wear the same design?

Yes. The cut differs by event group, but the colours, crest and layout can be identical. That is the advantage of planning the range from one artwork.

Where should the club name go on a vest?

Across the upper chest, above the area where a competition number is pinned. Check your competition’s rules on the size and position of names and logos.

Are full-coverage and hijab-friendly options available?

Yes. Long-sleeved tops, full-length tights and sports hijabs can be produced in the same colours and artwork as the vest and shorts.

Can house T-shirts for sports day be ordered with squad kit?

Yes. House T-shirts and squad kit can be quoted together. They are different garments, so each is specified separately.

How are new athletes kitted after the first order?

Approved artwork and sizes are kept on record, so later orders can be matched to the original design. Delivery timelines are confirmed during quotation.