Nike launches replacement for banned Vaporfly shoe

LONDON Nike has launched a new running shoe that complies with limits set by World Athletics after the governing body imposed a landmark ban on a version of the sportswear giant’s Vaporfly shoes that was used to run the first subtwo hour marathon.

The first-ever shoe ban by World Athletics (WA) last week addressed concerns that technology advances are giving athletes an unnatural advantage, described by some critics as “technological doping.”

New rules state road shoes must have soles no thicker than 40 mm and not contain more than one rigid, embedded carbon fibre plate, and limit the use of some track spikes on the Vaporfly models, but permit the continued use of most of the range.

Nike has now duly launched the latest incarnation of the shoe — the Air Zoom Alphafly Next% — with one carbon plate and a sole thickness of 39.5 mm, as well as newly added air pockets.

The Vaporfly shoes have helped produce many world records since their introduction in 2016. WA ruled last week that most of the versions used for those records would remain legal.

Kenyan runner Eliud Kipchoge wore a Vaporfly shoe now deemed illegal for his sub-two hour marathon in October. The show reportedly featured extra-thick soles and three carbon plates. He’s expected to wear the Alphafly in his London marathon showdown with Ethiopian rival Kenenisa Bekele.

A Wall Street Journal report said limited numbers of the new Alphafly shoes will be made available to the public online this month, thereby meeting one of WA’S eligibility requirements for the shoe to be used at this year’s Tokyo Olympics.