Moen's record will not be ratified

The European record is not approved: - I deeply regret that I ran

Sondre Nordstad Moen ran into a new European record in Kristiansand on Friday night. On Monday, the International Athletics Federation reveals that the record is being rejected.

Like many of its competitors in Stadionmila, Sondre Nordstad Moen (in the middle) ran with shoes that were not approved for track races. Tor Erik Schrøder

Åge Harald Drangsholt

Aug 10 2020 14:05

Last updated 47 minutes ago

KRISTIANSAND: - I regret wildly that I ran, says Sondre Nordstad Moen when Fædrelandsvennen tells him the disappointing news on the phone in the middle of the day on Monday.

Ever since he ran 21,131 meters in the one-hour race at Kristiansand Stadium on Friday night, and with that erased the 44-year-old European record of Jos Hermens with 187 meters, he had had in mind that the European record would not necessarily be approved.

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The regulations changed during the season

When Fædrelandsvennen calls the International Athletics Federation, or World Athletics as it is now called, they confirm Nordstad Moen's fears.

- The record will not be approved. The shoes he used do not comply with the rules. The runners were informed about this in advance, says Yannis Nikolaou, who works in the media department of World Atlethics.

Here is the shoe that means that World Athletics will not approve the European record of Sondre Nordstad Moen. Kjetil Samuelsen

Nordstad Moen ran with a pair of Nike Vaporfly shoes. The brand has attracted a great deal of attention in the racing community all over the world, and has been described as technology doping. The shoe has also given headaches for World Athletics who have not quite known how to deal with more and more shoe brands with large thickness on the sole. Thus, the regulations have been unclear, and have been changed during the season.

For example, Nordstad Moen ran with the same shoes when he set a European record of 25,000 meters at Bislett in June. A record he ironically finally got approved the same day he ran Stadionmila. But between these two races, the regulations have changed.

Considered dropping the race

The secret of the Nike Vaporfly lies in the sole. It is designed to give athletes maximum strength in every step. Last week, just two or three days before Stadionmila in Kristiansand, the Norwegian Athletics Association and Sondre Nordstad Moen were informed that shoes with a sole of 25 millimeters or more will not be approved in competition on the track anyway.