German sportswear maker Adidas’ shares rose yesterday after Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe became the first person to run a marathon in under two hours in an official race, accomplishing his feat wearing the brand’s Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 trainers.
Sawe shattered one of athletics’ most elusive barriers on Sunday as he stormed to victory at the London Marathon in one hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds.
After the race, Sawe held up his US$500 (HK$3,900) Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 trainer with “WR” and “sub-2” written on it in black marker pen.
Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha finished second in his marathon debut and Tigst Assefa broke her own women-only world record. They were also wearing Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 trainers, which are set to go on sale on Thursday.
Using innovative foam and carbon-plated soles, and ultra-light components, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 weighs an average 97 grams, 30 percent less than its predecessor, and improves running economy by 1.6 percent, Adidas said.
Adidas shares were up 2 percent in mid-morning yesterday although they are down 18 percent since the start of this year on concerns about the group’s exposure to US tariffs and the impact of the conflict in the Middle East.
Adidas released its Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 trainers in late 2023.
The third iteration of the shoe will be released for US$500 a pair exclusively via the Adidas app, with a wider release in the autumn marathon season, according to the company's website, but the steep price tag puts them out of reach of most runners.
REUTERS
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