Two athletes shattered the sub-two-hour marathon barrier at the London Marathon last Sunday, both wearing Adidas's Pro Evo 3 supershoe. Sabastian Sawe set a men's world record of 1:59.30, with Yomif Kejelcha second at 1:59.41. Tigist Assefa established a women's world record of 2:15.41 in the same shoe.
The London Marathon drew a record 59,830 finishers, up from 56,640 in 2025, with ballot applications surpassing 1.13 million—a 36% increase from 2025's 840,318. Adidas dominated headlines, generating $11 million in media impact value from the records, according to Launchmetrics. Nike congratulated Sawe despite the competition, while the event followed a busy week of activations at the Boston Marathon. Brands like Hoka, On, Puma, and New Balance set up hubs, pop-ups, and runs in London, building on Boston efforts. Niche players such as Tracksmith and Satisfy also activated with stores and events. Patrick Nava, general manager at Adidas Running, said, “The marathon has moved from being a single race day moment to a multi-layered cultural platform.” He added that innovation now responds to athletes pushing boundaries, with the Pro Evo 3 limited to 200 pairs at $500 due to production constraints, though elements will trickle into mainstream models. Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden noted demand pushed resale prices to $5,000 on StockX. Brands emphasized inclusivity amid rising participation, especially among women, with opportunities in recovery, beauty, and creator content. London generated $62.3 million in total MIV, led by Adidas, Nike, New Balance, and Puma.
