How fast is it going to be at the Olympics ?: F1 technology drives 10,000-meter records


How fast will it be at the Olympics?
F1 technology drives the 10,000 meter record

Even know-how from Formula 1 is used, because with new high-tech spikes the world records tumble in the world of athletics. Joshua Cheptegei from Uganda is planning the next exceptional performance at the Olympic Games. Thanks to a small catapult.

Joshua Cheptegei can’t wait. After all, the world champion, the world record holder, wants to “change his sport as Michael Jordan and Cristiano Ronaldo did in theirs”. And when the athletes start in Tokyo on Friday, the runner from Uganda will be given the next stage in the 10,000 meter final.

At the eagerly awaited performance, Cheptegei will once again be wearing a molded high-tech product, the new spikes are said to have real miraculous powers. For the Olympics in the technology country Japan, the engineers of all equipment suppliers have delivered, only select materials are used.

The spikes – like the running shoes in the marathon – are now equipped with a carbon plate and / or contain a unique foam. As a result, the shoe absorbs the runner’s energy – and releases it again. This creates a small catapult effect with every step. And world records and personal bests are downright tumbling.

For some “technical doping”

A German company is even working with the Formula 1 world championship team Mercedes, the know-how is carried by the gold candidates Karsten Warholm (world record holder over 400 m hurdles) and Armand Duplantis (pole vault world record holder) on their feet. The new spikes are quite controversial and are considered by some in the scene as “technical doping”. However, they are approved by the World Athletics Federation under certain parameters.

“It’s pretty cool that I have the carbon fiber in my spikes, which is also used in Lewis Hamilton’s Formula 1 car,” said sprinter Andre De Grasse from Canada, third in the 100 m World Championship. Sifan Hassan doesn’t know why everyone suddenly “goes crazy” because of the new spikes. The world continues to develop, and everyone keeps getting a “new cell phone”, said the world champion over 1500 and 10,000 m from the Netherlands: “Should we walk on ashes again?”

With the identical spikes on their feet, Hassan and the Ethiopian Letesenbet Gidey fought a crazy world record duel over 10,000 m in June, just 50 hours after Hassan’s record, Gidey was five seconds faster (29: 01.03 minutes).

Thanks to better technology, athletes, including Amanal Petros, are also getting faster and faster on the road. “The difference to the earlier models is big. The imprint is now much more intense, you literally jump,” said the German record holder in the marathon last: “This makes the overall feeling of running much better, and the shoes even have a positive effect on them Motivation.”

With his compatriot Jacob Kiplimo and the Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha, Cheptegei will do the rounds at the first grand finale – with the new miracle spikes on their feet. “We are no longer living in the 90s,” he said: “We have to accept the new innovations.”

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