Alisa Vainio y Amanal Petros are already European marathon champions. The Finnish runner delivered a historic performance in Birmingham, crossing the line in 2:22:26, while the German fulfilled expectations in the men’s race with 2:09:11, in a far tighter contest. But both titles share another element: their shoes.
Vainio wore the ASICS MR2 TYPE-P, while Petros competed in the Puma FAST-R Nitro Elite 3 – DEV2. In both cases these are prototypes approved by World Athletics, but at the moment they cannot be used in major global championships such as the World Championships or the Olympic Games. They can, however, compete in European championships.
It is the standard process World Athletics uses to certify new models and prototypes.
No es una situación nueva. Forma parte del proceso habitual que World Athletics establece para la homologación de nuevos modelos y prototipos y que se mantiene desde hace aproximadamente cinco años. Las zapatillas pueden ser utilizadas en determinadas competiciones mientras completan su proceso de homologación, aunque resulta llamativo que una tecnología considerada válida para un Campeonato de Europa no pueda estar presente en unos Juegos Olímpicos o un Mundial.
Vainio, a historic display
Beyond the shoes, Alisa Vainio’s performance was simply extraordinary. The Finnish runner shot off from the very first meter and turned the marathon into a survival test for her rivals. She ran completely solo throughout the race and finished the clock at 2:22:26, a spectacular mark given the Birmingham course’s toughness.
It was her sixth marathon in just 11 months, a demanding stretch of racing that did not stop her from delivering the best performance of her career. Rather than speculating or waiting for the final kilometres, Vainio decided from the start that the race would be hers and maintained an extremely high pace all the way to the finish.
“My secret is training hard and consistency,” she explained after being crowned European champion.
Her calendar could still feature one more major event this year. “Perhaps I’ll race in Valencia Marathon. I hope so,” Vainio admitted, leaving open the possibility of translating her spectacular form to Spain’s December marathon.
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Dylan Holloway
I’ve always been fascinated by the stories hidden behind a stopwatch, a finish line or a record-breaking performance. At Athletics News, I cover athletes, competitions and the moments shaping track and field, with a particular interest in the people and journeys behind the results.