Adidas 'Supershoe' Shatters Marathon Records as Sawe Breaks Two-Hour Barrier in London
Sabastian Sawe runs first official sub-two-hour marathon (1:59:30) in London wearing Adidas's 97-gram Evo 3 supershoe; women's record also falls.
Breaking: First Sub‑Two‑Hour Official Marathon
Kenya's Sabastian Sawe made history at the London Marathon on April 26, becoming the first runner to officially clock a sub‑two‑hour marathon with a time of 1:59:30. He crossed the finish line wearing Adidas's new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, which at 97 grams is the lightest race shoe ever produced.
Immediately after the race, an Adidas attendant collected Sawe's shoes, wrote the record time on them, and sent them to the brand's archives in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The Evo 3 is now officially the fastest shoe in the world.
Records Fall Across the Board
Ethiopia's Yomif Kejelcha also dipped under two hours, finishing in 1:59:41, while fellow Ethiopian Tigist Assefa set a women's world record of 2:15:41. All three runners are official Adidas partners and wore the Evo 3. The feat has sent shockwaves through the running world.
Background: How Adidas Built the 97‑Gram ‘Supershoe’
Adidas has spent more than three years developing ultra‑light marathon shoes under its Adizero Adios Pro program. The team's core insight was a literal “less is more” approach—every gram counts, just like in Formula 1 racing.
“Marathon racing is, in our industry, a bit like F1 in the automotive industry,” said Marc Makowski, Adidas's SVP of innovation. “It's become that battleground where, as a brand, if you want to showcase your performance credibility, that's where you do it.”
The Evo 3's design strips away all non‑essential material, resulting in a shoe that weighs less than a bar of soap. The official launch on April 23 saw an initial limited run of 200 pairs sell out in under two minutes. Resale prices have already hit $4,000 online.
Commercial and Competitive Impact
Adidas plans to release several more limited drops in the coming months, with a broader commercial version expected around the Berlin Marathon in September. But for the brand, the Evo 3 is about more than sales—it's a statement of leadership in performance innovation.
The shoe instantly raises the competitive bar for rivals including Nike (Alphafly 3), On (LightSpray), and Asics (Metaspeed Edge). The previous marathon world record was held by Kelvin Kiptum, who wore Nike's Alphafly 3.
What This Means for Marathon Racing
The Evo 3's debut proves that extreme lightweight design can deliver record‑breaking results in official competition. Runners and brands alike will now scramble to match or exceed this benchmark.
“It's proof, on the world stage, that Adidas is on the cutting edge of marathon running innovation,” Makowski said. The shoe is likely to influence future racing footwear across all major athletic companies.
For elite marathoners, the sub‑two‑hour barrier in an official race has finally fallen, and it came on the feet of a shoe that weighs just 97 grams—a new standard for speed.