Jump to content

The 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics


sne

Recommended Posts

Lots of focus on the shoes and the track after the race. Racers obviously doesn't want anything to detract from their accomplishments but we get a bit of Puma vs NIKE beef.

Quote

"The track here is like running on air," writes journalist Matt Lawton at The Times.

 

How does it work? According to Mondo, the track gives back the energy that is put into it "like a trampoline".

- You feel the bounce, says Sydney McLaughlin to The Times.

- Some running tracks only absorb your insertion and movement, here you get everything back.

On social media, it is now speculated that the running track was behind the crazy times in the Olympic final in the 400 meter hurdles. People with more or less knowledge come up with their opinions. Matt Lawton, a journalist at The Times who watches athletics on site in Tokyo, writes: "Warholm is a fantastic athlete, but I think we just saw the effect of technology here. 

Karsten Warholm is also not particularly amused by the focus on the running track. When he is asked if it really is "like running in the air" , he answers:

- I've never run on air, so I do not know what it's like. Rai runs on air, he has the shoes… that I hate, by the way. But the course, it is fantastic, says Warholm.

Rai Benjamin is sponsored by Nike and runs in one of their new super shoes that has both a carbon fiber plate at the bottom and a layer of super light foam in the sole.

Warholm also runs in a brand new shoe from Puma which also has a carbon fiber plate at the bottom, but there is no foam layer.

- I have a vicked shoe. My coach and I have been involved in developing it. We collaborated with Puma and the Mercedes F1 team that add carbon fiber, says Warholm and hands out another boot to the Nike shoes:

- If you put a trampoline in your shoes… it is bullshit and destroys the credibility of our sport.

https://www.expressen.se/sport/os-2021/pekas-ut-som-hjalpen-till-warholms-rekord/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It will weaken the argument that para athletes would have an unfair advantage re: Prosthetics if its found that nike are equipping athletes with something outside if the norm. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, sne said:

Lots of focus on the shoes and the track after the race

So it is the foam that makes the big difference rather than than carbon plate? Interesting

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Tegis said:

So it is the foam that makes the big difference rather than than carbon plate? Interesting

It's the combination apparently, and then how much the carbon plate flexes and returns energy. NIKE are supposedly very, very, very, very close to breaking the rules in that area.

As with the shark skin swimming suits the rules are not equipped to handle this technique and they have found a loophole. Hopefully just like in swimming they will figure it out.

Edit: Should add I'm expert on the subject and just going on the information I've picked up by listening to some of the TV people and a few articles.

Edited by sne
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, sne said:

Mondo clearing 5.55 with about a meter to spare in his first jump :D  That was ridiculous.

That still was just stupid.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mondo :hooray:

Great to see the camaraderie in the pole vault, very similar to in the decathlon.

Let's see if he goes for the WR, bringing out his big pole 

Filmer och serier med Kenneth Williams

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The cycling was good earlier, think Britain were surprised by how good some other nations were. 
No idea why the Danish lad was having a go at the Brit though, he had no way where to go and you’ve got him behind. Calm down sunshine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Wainy316 said:

Other countries seem to be getting much better at riding round in circles on bikes.  That'll seriously harm our gold medal haul compared to the last couple of Olympics.

Yep agreed. I think part of the problem is that ,since 2000 Sydney Olympics where GB won a somewhat unexpected Bronze, the conveyor belt of great endurance track riders has faltered. There have been several important changes to the coaching staff; perhaps most significantly the loss of the controversial but highly successful Aussie coach who was in charge. His replacement knows nothing about cycling and as nearly all his staff were/are successful racers, I don't think he commanded the respect of some of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...
Â