Toni Arndt, who helps the International Athletics Federation in checking shoes, believes that this summer we will see more world records on the running tracks.
Joel Sippola,
Mika Halonen
During the month of June, four world records were set in athletics running distances. With this, advanced shoe technology has once again become a topic of conversation.
Summer running coach Janne Ukonmaanaho stated to Urheilu after the three ME runs of the Paris Diamond League evening, that the latest spikes have an impact on the times.
of The Times including those who made ME in the evening in Paris Faith Kipyegon, Lamecha Girma mixed Jakob Ingebrigtsen all used so-called super spikes.
According to the most recent research, they can improve running economy by two percent, according to experts. Physiologist by Geoff Burns according to that, an improvement of even one percent can mean 3.2 seconds better time in the mile (about 1,609 meters).
Australian Toni Arndt is responsible in the International Athletics Federation (World Athletics) that after the ME runs the shoes have been checked for compliance. In his opinion, advanced shoe technology has played a significant role in the improvement of times.
– They are definitely the fastest. I can say that. Scientific publications also prove it.
Australian Arndt is a biomechanics professor who works at Stockholm University. Arndt has studied in New Zealand, Australia, Germany and Sweden as well. In his research career, he has focused, among other things, on the biomechanics of the Achilles tendon and the kinematics of the feet.
In 2019, he was asked by WA to take over the compliance of the ever-evolving ‘supershoes’.
“The development of shoes makes it possible”
Arndt says that the latest spikes are less understood than marathon shoes.
– This summer we will see more world records on the track, because the spikes have developed so much.
Over the past four years, the men’s marathon ME has improved by one minute and 48 seconds.
The current ME man of the marathon Eliud Kipchoge broke the two-hour limit in an artificial test run at the marathon. In that race, he was helped by, among other things, more than 40 hare runners, who acted as windbreakers for the Kenyan star. At that time, the shoes worn by Kipchoge also became a topic of conversation.
He ran a time of 1:59:40.2, but it did not count as an official world record. ME time 2.01.09 is from Berlin last year.
According to Arndt, there are a few marathoners in the world who will be able to break the two-hour phantom line in an official marathon very soon.
– Of course they are phenomenal runners, but the development of shoes also makes it possible, says Arndt.
Not forbidden
Some compare supershoes to doping. Arndt buys this idea.
– I agree. The only difference is that the use of doping is prohibited. As long as you don’t break the rules, it’s not forbidden.
– However, the shoes offer an advantage. People run faster than they really could. They run faster than would be possible without these shoes.
The latest spikes and marathon shoes are called technical doping in some circles. Arndt stresses that shoe manufacturers and athletes follow the rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations.
– We have to make it clear that it is not cheating, because they follow the rules. Doping is cheating, so there is a big difference.
It has been considered whether the rules could somehow change in the future. According to Arndt, at least not in the near future.
Arndt says that the current rules of the International Association of Athletics Federations regarding spikes and other shoes are unlikely to change at least until next year’s Paris Summer Olympics, as WA must respect the work done by shoe manufacturers.