Adidas Adizero Adios: The magic shoe in Sawe's new world record-breaking feat

When Sabastian Sawe crossed the finish line in the London Marathon on Sunday, one iconic image went viral across the globe.

The Kenyan was immediately handed a pen after becoming the first official sub-two-hour marathon runner in history, clocking 1:59:30 seconds, more than a minute faster than his late compatriot Kelvin Kiptum’s previous record of 2:00:35, set in 2023. 

After running in Adidas’ newly released trainer, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, the 31-year-old jotted down on his shoe ‘1:59:30 WR sub 2’, holding it up for the cameras flashing in front of him, with the images streamed to millions worldwide. 

Adidas immediately saw its shares rise two per cent yesterday morning, as thousands of running enthusiasts, shoe lovers and fashion gurus looked to order a pair of their own. This, even though their shares have been down 18 per cent since January due to concerns about the company’s exposure to United States President Donald Trump’s tariffs and the effects of the war in the Middle East. 

The Sh64,000 (500USD) Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, released on April 23, 2026, is the lightest-ever racing shoe from Adidas, weighing just over 97 grams. It was the latest range from the group, debuted by Sawe in the streets of London.

Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo

The new trainer is 30 per cent lighter than the previous iterations, with 1.6 per cent more running economy. It boasts a series of improvements designed to unlock maximum efficiency and speed.

It went through a dozen versions while the Adidas team polished the ultimate design, working closely with athletes while testing several, including those at the high-altitude camps of Kenya and Ethiopia.

The shoe has been made with next-generation Lightstrike Pro Evo foam, the brand’s lightest and most responsive foam to date, and nearly 50 per cent lighter than previous versions of the shoe. With a 39mm stack, it aims to maximise cushioning, propulsion and energy return across strides.

The carbon technology has been totally redesigned. At the centre of this leap forward is the new ‘Energyrim’ technology, a carbon-integrated system supporting maximum volume of foam underfoot while providing stiffness for stability. 

The ultra-lightweight upper and precision detailing are also inspired by kitesurfing sails, with the stripped back and stitching obsessively refined to bring out marginal gains. 

The shoe also incorporates a more efficient outsole design to provide reliable traction at high speeds, without having to compromise on weight.

Nike

Marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge wore a prototype of the Nike Air Zoom Vaporfly when he ran the first sub-two-hour marathon (1:59:40) in Vienna on October 12, 2019. This record was, however, not eligible, considering it was under controlled conditions. 

The company will be left feeling a little red-faced following the cheeky social media post they put out after Sawe’s historic achievement. While congratulating him, they posted, “The clock has been reset. There is no finish line,” triggering fans who saw the little dig thrown at Adidas.

Nike has for a long-time been pumping money into races while eyeing the sub-2 hour record, even failing the first time when sponsoring Kipchoge in 2017, before completing the challenge with INEOS in 2019. 

Not only did Sawe run in the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, but the runner-up Ethiopian long-distance runner, Yomif Kejelcha, did too. Making his marathon debut, he became the second man to run under two hours in race conditions, finishing in 1:59:41.

Adidas released its first iteration of the trainers back in late 2023, after Tigst Assefa set a new women’s marathon world record while wearing them at the Berlin Marathon. 

“The Adidas family is incredibly proud of Sabastian and Tigist’s historic achievements. This is a testament to the ​years of hard work ​and dedication they have made, alongside our innovation team,” said Patrick Nava, general manager at Adidas Running. 

Sawe is set to pocket a lucrative prize purse of approximately £263,000 (Sh45 million) after his historic performance.

The standard prize for winning the elite men’s race is $55,000 (Sh6.4 million). However, his remarkable time unlocked several extra payments, earning him a $150,000 (Sh19 million) bonus for finishing under 2:02:00, another $125,000 (Sh16 million) for setting a new world record, and a further $25,000 (Sh3 million) for breaking the London course record.