Tokyo Olympics 2021: Olympic athletics sneaker designs under microscope as records tumble

Hurdling world records have been smashed in Tokyo but it hasn’t pleased everyone, with critics of advanced ‘super shoe’ technology labelling it ‘mechanical doping’.

A second world 400m hurdles record in as many days has ignited the “super-shoes” debate which is casting a shadow over the track and field program at the Tokyo Olympics.

Twenty-four hours after Norway’s Karsten Warholm obliterated the 400m hurdles world mark, American Sydney McLaughlin did the same in the women’s event.

McLaughlin, who turns 22 on Saturday, had set a new world record of 51.90sec at the US trials in June and was a heavy favourite coming into Wednesday morning’s final.

In perfectly warm and still conditions McLaughlin smashed the record again after an epic battle with teammate Dalilah Muhammad, stopping the clock at the eye-popping time of 51.46sec.

US star Sydney McLaughlin smashed the women’s 400m hurdles world record. Picture: Getty Images

Muhammad also went under the previous world mark, clocking 51.58sec, as five of the eight finalists ran career bests.

Warholm took the men’s event through the magical 46-second barrier, something many thought impossible, ­recording an extraordinary 45.94sec.

Afterwards the Olympic champion launched a stunning attack on runner-up American Rai Benjamin, who also went under the old world record, ­because of his “super shoes” footwear.

Warholm, who took 0.76sec off his previous best time, described the Nike technology in the spikes Benjamin was wearing as “bulls**t”.

An athletics cheat storm has erupted over 'super shoes'.

“If you put a trampoline there I think it’s bulls**t,” he said. “I think it takes credibility away from our sport.

“I don’t see why you should put anything beneath a sprinting shoe.”

While Warholm wore Puma EvoSpeed Future Faster+ shoes – which he designed in conjunction with the Mercedes F1 team – and also took ­advantage of the new performance-enhancing technology, there is a suspicion the Nike creations are at another level.

And whether that level is illegal is an issue that World Athletics is having to grapple with.

All major footwear companies have brought out a version of the “super shoe”, with McLaughlin breaking the world record wearing New Balance.

Silver medallist Muhammad was wearing the Nike Air Zoom Maxfly spikes, which have carbon-fibre plates and air pod “mattresses” that create greater spring in each of the athlete’s steps.

Team Norway’s Karsten Warholm and Rai Benjamin of Team United States. Warholm slammed his opponent’s shoes as “bulls**t”. Picture: Getty Images

Critics claim the “super shoes”, first developed by Nike, are the equivalent of mechanical doping, while supporters hail them as a revolutionary advance.

Some athletes are crediting the spikes with cutting times by up to 15 seconds in middle-distance events.

Earlier in the men’s 110m hurdles semi-finals, Australia’s Nick Hough struggled, finishing seventh in 13.88sec.

Gold medallist Norway's Karsten Warholm poses on the podium after winning the men's 400m hurdles event. Picture: AFP

Hough, 27, was slow out then hit more than seven of the 10 hurdles, which left him floundering at the back. He ­revealed afterwards a calf niggle from the heats hampered him.

“I wanted to go quicker than yesterday but my body thought otherwise,” Hough said. “The muscles are getting old, I think.

“I didn’t have any expectations, I was ranked 35 in the world, so I shouldn’t have made the semi-finals in the first place.

“I got into the top 24. I was obviously hoping to make the final but I would have had to run a massive PB to do that.”