ELIUD KIPCHOGE is set to wear his controversial Nike shoes in an official race for the first time at Sunday’s London Marathon.
The Kenyan’s Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% trainers have sparked a mass backlash from fellow racers.
Eliud Kipchoge will wear his controversial Nike trainers at this weekend’s London MarathonCredit: AFP or licensors
The Nike trainers are aid to help athletes run faster, with some likening them to dopingCredit: Nike
The Nike shoes are designed to help the athlete out by providing a ‘four per cent boost in running economy’ compared to other trainers.
And many have claimed the help from the trainers is essentially ‘doping’.
Kipchoge, 35, wore the Nikes as he ran a sub-two-hour marathon in Vienna last October.
That race was under artificial, unofficial circumstances, with the main aim to get Kipchoge across the line in under two hours.
The Kenyan was given a group of 30 pace-setters and a car to follow – prohibited by World Athletics (formerly IAAF).
Kipchoge clocked a time of 1:59.40 around the 26.2mile course, with Nike calling it “an extraordinary achievement years in the making.”
After the race, when quizzed about the controversial trainers, Kipchoge replied: “We live in the 21st century and we need to accept change.
“Secondly, development goes hand-in-hand with technology. The shoe is good.
“We should accept technology and marry technology.
“It’s business. It’s good for Nike to be far higher than other companies as far as technology is concerned.”
Kipchoge will now wear the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT% trainers in Sunday’s London Marathon.
Earlier this year, World Athletics deemed the shoes legal.
The governing body banned shoes with soles thicker than 40mm and/or more than one plate to enhance spring.
Kipchoge’s Alphafly trainers have a sole of 39.5mm thick – just 0.5mm within the ‘passable’ limit.
Meanwhile, Kipchoge’s biggest rival, Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele, has revealed he will NOT wear the shoe after he believed it caused him injuries.
Bekele will revert back to a tried-and-tested, older pair for the London Marathon.
Due to coronavirus, athletes will ditch the well-known route around the capital and instead run 19 laps of St James’ Park, finishing down the iconic Mall stretch.
There will also be no amateur race in the 2020 edition.
Eliud Kipchoge becomes first person to run a marathon in sub two hours
Source: Athletics - thesun.co.uk
