Grace Tame has revealed a surprising new move in her career after parting ways with the foundation that bears her name.
Tasmania-born Tame, who was named Australian of the Year in 2021 for her advocacy for victims of sexual assault, revealed on Thursday she is now a brand ambassador for sportswear giant Nike.
The 30-year-old has long promoted the benefits of running. She has competed in numerous events, including winning the 60km Victorian Great Ocean Road Ultramarathon in 2024.
Tame took to social media on Thursday to announce the new collaboration.
“I couldn't be more excited to announce that I am an official ambassador for Nike. This has been thought about for a long time.'
She thanked her manager, Lauren Miller, and said the deal “wouldn't have been possible without her,” along with her friends, family and cousin Eloise Nairn-Smith, who founded the website Ritual Runners and who calls Tame her “coach and ' mentioned. hero'.
“After I first signed with Nike three years ago, I had to walk away,” Tame said.
She explained that the pressure of the “re-traumatizing upheaval of 2021” – a reference to her highly publicized time as Australian of the Year – had forced her to put her running ambitions on hold.
Grace Tame (alongside Australian actor Kath Ebbs) has announced she is a brand ambassador for sportswear giant Nike
The 30-year-old won the 2024 Victorian Great Ocean Road Ultramarathon (pictured)
'Critics became louder. Deadlines loomed. Years of anorexia and an avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder preoccupied me. My bones broke. Something had to give. It was devastating.”
'But I fought back. As some of you may already know, running is an essential part of who I am. It's more than a sport, it's a philosophy. No matter where or what I'm going through, my spirit remains high when I'm on foot in the wilderness.
Tame said running was her favorite form of “escape, meditation, healing and learning” and that it also helped her connect with nature, herself and community and was beneficial to her advocacy work.
“When strangers approach me, I often expect some kind of revelation (which is a gift). I'm surprised by how many people want to share their connection to running, and that watching and reading about mine has helped them find their own path forward.
'Beyond the obvious goal of protecting children, I have always hoped to help redefine what it means to be a survivor; to show that we are not one-dimensional. Trauma is not a black mark. Everyone has the right to dream. To run free.”
In November last year, Tame revealed she was running 100km a week and had her sights set on securing a spot on the Australian Olympic team for 2028 in LA or 2032 in Brisbane.
Her last day as CEO of the Grace Tame Foundation was Wednesday.
Tame won the 60km race on the Great Ocean Road, but the 24km marathon was won by former Young Australian of the Year Meriem Daoui (left), a nurse who has used her racing to highlight social issues such as the need for research into childhood cancer and help for Syrian refugees
Tame said the collaboration with Nike had been in the works for years and thanked her manager, friends and family
The foundation released a statement last year saying Tame would “transition to an impact and advocacy-focused role” after questions were raised about how the organization used donated funds.
There were no claims that funds were misused, although many donors were unhappy that they were not told how their money was being spent.
The foundation says it “works with political and civic leaders, and helps fund peak bodies that want to advocate and drive meaningful change.”
One of the results was a successful campaign in South Australia to change the offense of 'unlawful sexual relationship with a child' to the more precise 'sexual abuse of a child'.
The foundation had been criticized for moving away from its original purpose as a campaign tool and focusing on funding counseling services and legal fees for survivors of sexual abuse, services already offered by other, more established charities.
While Tame will still be involved with her foundation at an advocacy level, she will not be involved in the day-to-day running of the charity.
This, along with the rumored split from fiancé Max Heerey, who she met on running app Strava, will allow Tame to focus on her other pursuits, including her new marathon career.
She is also a qualified yoga teacher and an aspiring artist.
Tame will compete in several upcoming races, including the Surf City Marathon in LA on February 2, the Kilamanjaro Marathon in Tanzania on February 23, the Noosa Ultra-Trail on March 22 and the Hobart Marathon on April 6.
