Sabastian Sawe etched his name in history on Sunday, becoming the first athlete to complete a marathon in under two hours in an official race. The Kenyan star achieved the long-sought milestone at the London Marathon, clocking an astonishing 1:59:30. His run marked a defining moment in athletics, as breaking the two-hour barrier in a competitive race had remained one of the sport’s most elusive targets for years.
Meanwhile, the victory not only secured Sawe a place in the record books but also delivered a massive boost for Adidas, whose shoes he wore during the run. The German brand struck gold with its Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a high-end $500 pair that quickly became the centre of attention after the historic feat. Adidas released the shoe on its app after the race, and it sold out almost instantly, underlining the buzz around the performance.
Meanwhile, the release is proving hugely lucrative for Adidas, with posts on X indicating the limited $500 drop sold out within minutes and pairs later appeared on StockX for around $1,900.
After crossing the finish line, Sawe proudly held up the spikes, marked with “WR” and “sub-2” in black ink — a simple but powerful nod to the magnitude of his achievement. In doing so, he eclipsed the previous world record of 2:00:35 set at the Chicago Marathon in 2023 by the late Kelvin Kiptum.
Adidas hit jackpot
It proved to be a landmark moment not just for Sawe, but also for Adidas’ cutting-edge “supershoe.” Notably, Yomif Kejelcha, who finished second on his marathon debut, and Tigst Assefa, who set a new women-only world record, were also wearing the same model.
“To break the world record is something I have dreamed about for a long time, and to achieve it means so much to me and to the sport of running. It reflects the hard work behind the scenes, the support of my team, and the role of innovation in helping me push beyond limits. I’m honoured to be part of a new chapter for the sport,” Sabastian said.
Ethiopian-born Tigist said: “Breaking the world record has been in my mind for many years, and to finally do it is very special. It shows the work that happens every day, the strength of the team around me, and how everything comes together to go beyond what we thought was possible. I’m grateful to be part of this moment for the sport.”
Built with advanced foam, carbon-plated soles and ultra-light materials, the third-generation Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 tips the scales at around 97 grams on average, about 30% lighter than the previous version. According to Adidas, it also delivers a 1.6% boost in running economy.
