On a historic Sunday in London, Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe achieved what was once considered impossible in an official race. He crossed the finish line of the London Marathon in a staggering one hour, 59 minutes, and 30 seconds.
As he celebrated, Sawe held up a single white trainer for the cameras. On its side, he had scrawled “WR” and “sub-2” in black marker pen.
That shoe is the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, and it is now the most talked-about piece of kit in the sporting world.
The Price of Performance
For amateur runners looking to capture some of Sawe’s speed, the technology comes with a significant price tag. Adidas has confirmed that the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 will retail for USD5,000 (approximately 647,000).
The shoe is scheduled to go on sale this Thursday. However, fans will not find them on every high street shelf immediately. The initial release is exclusive to the Adidas app.
A wider release is expected to follow during the autumn marathon season later this year.
Cutting-Edge Engineering
What makes a pair of trainers worth $500? According to Adidas, the secret lies in the materials and weight. The shoe features innovative foam and carbon-plated soles designed to propel the runner forward.
The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 weighs an average of just 97 grams. This makes it 30 per cent lighter than the model that came before it. Adidas claims these ultra-light components improve a runner's economy by 1.6 per cent.
A Winning Streak for Adidas
Sawe was not the only athlete finding success in the new footwear on Sunday. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha finished second in his marathon debut wearing the same model. Meanwhile, Tigst Assefa broke her own women-only world record in the trainers.
The racing success has already translated into a boost for the German sportswear maker. Adidas shares rose by 2 per cent on Monday morning following the record-breaking weekend.
This comes as a welcome relief for the brand, which has seen shares drop 18 per cent since the start of the year due to global market concerns.
While Adidas released its first version of the "Evo" line in late 2023, this third iteration represents a new peak in "supershoe" technology. For those with the budget and the app, the chance to own a piece of marathon history arrives this week.
Comments 0
Sign in to join the conversation
Sign In Create AccountNo comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!