Backing from Nike is seen by many athletes as the holy grail of sports sponsorship.

Yet, Kenya's Eliud Kipchoge has reason to feel his association with the sportswear giant cost him one of athletics' most prestigious world records.

Kipchoge won the Berlin Marathon in two hours and four minutes, just a minute outside countryman Dennis Kimetto's fastest ever time at the Berlin race last year.

However, his shiny new runners appeared to be more of a hinderance than a help across the 42.2 kilometre journey.