Olympic Sprinter Sues New Balance Over ‘Cracked’ Shoes

A former Olympian is suing New Balance over the end of her career. 

Khamica Bingham, a two-time Olympic sprinter from Canada, is suing the Boston-based shoe company alleging that a malfunction in her running shoes led to a career-ending Achilles tear while training for the 2024 Paris Games. 

The lawsuit, which calls the shoes “defective,” was filed Tuesday in Rhode Island District Court. It alleges the New Balance shoe Bingham was wearing in March while training in North Carolina “suddenly cracked and failed,” leading to the devastating injury. Bingham was sponsored by New Balance when the injury occurred and is suing the company on six counts, including liability, negligence, and breach of contract.

Bingham’s husband, Damar Forbes, is also listed as a plaintiff in the lawsuit. The couple is seeking monetary damages, including medical expenses. 

“New Balance owed a duty of care to Bingham to design, manufacture, and provide a safe sprinting shoe,” the lawsuit states. “The shoe was not of merchantable quality and was not fit for its intended use, resulting in Plaintiff Bingham’s injuries.”

New Balance and Bingham’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Bingham is also the operations coordinator for Brown University’s women’s track and field program and did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She joined the program as a volunteer assistant coach in 2022, and competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics as well as the 2020 Tokyo Olympics without medaling.