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Markets

Adidas stock pops after runners in its new shoes broke the 2-hour marathon barrier

Kenya's Sabastian Sawe set a world record of 1:59:30 at the London Marathon wearing Adidas's new Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3

2 min read·Updated April 27, 2026
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Adidas stock climbed Monday after two runners wearing the company's new $500 racing shoe broke the two-hour barrier at the London Marathon $MPC, with Kenya's Sabastian Sawe setting an official world record in the process.

The previous men's record of 2:00:35, held by the late Kelvin Kiptum since the 2023 Chicago Marathon, fell when Sawe crossed the line Sunday in 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds. Finishing 11 seconds back and also under the two-hour mark, according to Bloomberg, Kejelcha had never before competed at the marathon distance.

All three winners ran in the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, which Adidas unveiled last week. At 97 grams in a standard size — a 30% reduction from the prior model — the shoe is built around a proprietary foam dubbed "Lightstrike Pro Evo" and features a reworked carbon fiber plate in the sole.

On the women's side, Assefa clocked 2:15:41 to claim victory, erasing the women's-only world record she had previously established at London.

"This is a testament to the years of hard work and dedication they have made, alongside our innovation team," Patrick Nava, general manager of running at Adidas, said in a statement.

Shares gained roughly 2% in Frankfurt on Monday, though the stock remains under pressure — off about 18% year-to-date — as investors weigh the company's exposure to U.S. tariff policy and ongoing Middle East instability.

Priced at $500, the shoe will initially be available only through the Adidas app before a broader rollout timed to the autumn marathon season, the company said.

The results highlight how much is riding commercially on elite racing footwear. According to market researcher Circana, cited by Bloomberg, U.S. running shoe sales reached $8.1 billion in the twelve months ending February — a 13% jump.

Even Kipchoge's famous 1:59:40 effort — posted at a Nike $NKE-engineered time trial in Vienna in 2019, with rotating pacemakers and no official record eligibility — could not match Sawe's mark. Unlike that controlled environment, Sawe and Kejelcha dropped their designated pacers well before the finish and drove each other to the line, according to CNBC.

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