American decathlete Ashton Eaton pulled on a odd-looking piece of equipment Wednesday at the Rio Olympics.
Looking like a Roman battle helmet, the cap is intended to cool his head between events.
He debuted the cap last year at the World Championships.
Photos: Oregon athletes in Rio
According to Nike, Eaton wanted to advance the idea of why it always felt good during competitions to pour cold water on his head. The Nike developmental lab then began designing the cap.
“Simply put, the hood concentrates a cold mass out of an icebox, covering the face, head and neck, and allows a gradual and effective cooling of the head,” Sandy Bodecker, Nike VP of Special Projects, said in an earlier prepared statement.
Eaton told Nike he needed a way to stay cool, especially during the pole vault and high jump, when he must remain on the field during a long competition.
"We literally took the challenge head-on," Boedecker said.
