Athletics-Briton Hutchings calls for records reset for high-tech shoes era

FILE PHOTO: Athletics - London Marathon - London, Britain - October 4, 2020 Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge during the elite men's race. Pool via REUTERS/Richard Heathcote

(Reuters) - World Athletics should introduce a new set of records for times set by athletes wearing high-tech footwear, said British Olympian Tim Hutchings, as debate continues over whether the shoes give runners an unfair advantage.

Footwear developed by Nike played a role in two of the biggest distance-running achievements of 2019, with Eliud Kipchoge's sub-two-hour marathon in Vienna and Brigid Kosgei's record-breaking run at the Chicago Marathon bringing the Vaporfly shoes into the spotlight.