Adidas' new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 shoes were worn by Kenyan Sabastian Kimaru Sawe, who became the first athlete to finish a marathon in under two hours, clocking 1 hour 59 minutes 30 seconds at the 2026 London Marathon. The record-setting performance underscored the impact of the shoe's 97-gram weight and advanced materials. The 2026 London Marathon also saw Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha finish just 11 seconds after Sawe, and Tigst Assefa set a women's world record of 2 hours 15 minutes 41 seconds, all while wearing the same model. These achievements followed the 2023 Chicago record of 2 hours 35 seconds set by Kelvin Kiptum. The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, debuted on the eve of the London Marathon, incorporates carbon-fiber elements in the sole and Adidas' Lightstrike Pro Evo foam, the company's lightest and springiest composite. The shoe's design was led by Patrick Nava, an Italian engineer who joined Adidas in 2019 and has headed the running division since last October. Testing took place at the company's Herzogenaurach labs and at high-altitude sites in Kenya and Ethiopia, with feedback from the athletes shaping the final model. Nava explained that the development process was meticulous, noting that every detail was measured down to the nanogram. The athletes praised the shoe, with Assefa expressing gratitude for the footwear that helped her break the women's record. The shoes will soon be available for purchase at $500 through Adidas' official app. With the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 now on sale, Adidas positions itself to continue competing with rivals such as Nike, whose Breaking2 project has also sought to push the limits of marathon performance. The success of the 2026 London Marathon may drive further innovation in lightweight, high-performance footwear for elite athletes.