Eight-time World Champion Michael Johnson, questioned the timing system at the World Athletics Championships last night after Nigerian Tobi Amusan smashed the world record in the semi-final of the women’s 100metres hurdles.

Johnson stated categorically that he doesn’t believe the times are correct, but world athletics hit back immediately, and insisted that all the times were accurate. 

Johnson later faced a major backlash on social media and later tweeted that he had been accused of racism.

Having improved on her previous personal best of 12.42 seconds slightly to 12.40  in the heats, Amusan then stunned everyone inside Hayward field with a hugely unexpected 12.12 seconds world record in the semi-final, knocking 800th of a second  off Kendra Harrison’s previous record from 2016.

Amusan went even quicker in the final, winning gold in 12.06 seconds, although that time was aided . Jamaica’s Britanny Anderson got the silver and Jasmine Camcho- Quinn of Puerto Rico the bronze.

The adidas adizero avanti, which are designed for 5k and 10k runners and are not typically worn by sprinters.  Amusan started using the shoes after picking up a knee injury earlier this summer.

However, the spikes worn by the Nigerian in the race is legal, as current rules dictate sprint spikes cannot have soles thicker than 20 millimeters and the Adizero worn by Amusan last night carries an insole of 18 millimeters . 

Head of global sports marketing at Adidas Spencer Nel, says the new foams in the shoe are much more responsive, and lighter and offers more repulsion in every stride.