The world's most-dominant track star called Nike's new spikes 'bulls---' and compared them to rivals having trampolines in their shoes
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Sam Cooper
Aug 4, 2021, 22:05 IST
Warholm said it was like his opponent had a trampoline on his shoes
Roger Sedres/Gallo Images
Olympic 400 meter hurdle champion Karsten Warholm has labelled new Nike spike technology "bulls---."
Warholm's closest rival Rai Benjamin wore a pair of Nike's controversial Air Zoom Victory shoes in the final.
Norway's Warholm said it was like Benjamin was running with a trampoline under his feet.
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Karsten Warholm, the winner of the Tokyo Olympics men's 400 meter hurdles, has criticized his opponent's shoes and called the technology in them "bulls---."
Despite the victory, however, he was critical of the Nike running shoes worn by Benjamin during the race.
Benjamin is one of a number of athletes at the Tokyo Games to be using Nike's latest sprint spike technology, wearing a pair of Nike Air Zoom Victory shoes in the race.
It has just now started to trickle into sprint competitions, where the advantages to be gained are significantly smaller, but still believed to be substantial.
"He had those things in his shoes, which I hate," Warholm said of his opponent, who would have won gold and broken the previous world record had the Norwegian not been competing.
"I don't see why you should put anything beneath a sprinting shoe. In middle distance I can understand it because of the cushioning. If you want cushioning, you can put a mattress there.
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"But if you put a trampoline I think it's bulls---, and I think it takes credibility away from our sport."
Warholm acknowledged that he too is using technologically advanced shoes, having worked with the Mercedes Formula One team and Puma to create his own racing spike, but insisted it was different to the Nike shoe.
"Yes, we have the carbon plate but we have tried to make it as thin as possible. Because that is the way I would like to do it.
"Of course technology will always be there. But I also want to keep it down to a level where we can compare results because that is important," he said.
When I was told about it I couldn't believe that this is what we have gone to," Bolt said in an interview with Reuters.
"You know what I mean, that we are really adjusting the spikes to a level where it's now giving athletes an advantage to run even faster."
"It's weird and unfair for a lot of athletes," Bolt added.
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