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adidas Adizero Pro Evo 3: analysis of Sabastian Sawe’s “Sub-2” marathon world record shoe
On the streets of London, on April 26, 2026, the marathon entered a new dimension. For the first time, a man ran an official marathon under two hours: Sabastian Sawe, in 1:59:30. To make the moment even more historic, Yomif Kejelcha followed close behind in 1:59:41. In the women’s race, Tigst Assefa also delivered something special with a new women-only world record in 2:15:41. Three monumental performances. Three records. And one thing in common: all three athletes were wearing the brand-new adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. Just days after its official launch, adidas’ new supershoe is already making headlines. Priced at €500 and weighing just 97 grams, the Pro Evo 3 becomes the first supershoe to break the symbolic 100-gram barrier. A featherweight figure that is almost hard to believe for a shoe with this much cushioning and capable of handling 42.195 km at dizzying speeds. But beyond the weight, the Evo 3 mainly symbolizes a new step forward in running technology.
| London Marathon 2026: running enters another dimension
We knew London would be fast. Sawe had the world record in his sights. But few expected the two-hour barrier to fall in an official race quite so soon. Sabastian Sawe shattered the world record in 1:59:30, becoming the first man in history to officially run under two hours for the marathon. Just seconds later, in his marathon debut, Yomif Kejelcha also crossed that mythical barrier in 1:59:41. Unprecedented.
In the women’s race, Tigst Assefa also produced a world-class performance, setting a new women-only world record in 2:15:41 and confirming her dominance over the distance.
These times completely redefine the scale of human performance in the marathon. Of course, training, nutrition, exercise science and the exceptional talent of the athletes remain the key ingredients. But let’s be clear: it is impossible to ignore the role of shoes in this new revolution. The adidas Adizero Pro Evo 3 already looks destined to become one of the most iconic marathon shoes ever. adidas has made a huge statement.
| From Pro Evo 1 to Pro Evo 3: adidas at the cutting edge of innovation
The story of this shoe began in 2023. Back then, adidas surprised everyone with the release of the Adizero Pro Evo 1. A radical shoe, weighing just 138 grams, with a €500 price tag that not everyone accepted easily. Many thought adidas had gone too far.
Yet just a few weeks later, Tigst Assefa smashed the marathon world record in Berlin in 2:11:53. The shoe became a cult object. Produced in extremely limited quantities, it later sold for more than €2,000 on the resale market.
In 2025, the Pro Evo 2 continued that domination with major victories, including at the London Marathon thanks to Sabastian Sawe and Tigst Assefa. The Adizero Pro Evo franchise kept stacking up records and wins across the World Marathon Majors.
And in 2026, adidas pushed the limits even further with the Pro Evo 3. The result: three world records in London and the first two official sub-two-hour performances in history. It’s insane. The entire running world is amazed and stunned. The conclusion is clear: adidas now dominates the supershoe battle, and most rival brands have praised Sawe and Kejelcha’s performances. Even Kipchoge shared his own Instagram post.
“The adidas family is incredibly proud of Sebastian and Tigist’s historic achievements, marking the fastest marathon times ever run by humans. It is a testament to years of hard work and dedication, alongside our innovation team who created a pioneering supershoe with the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3.”
Patrick Nava, General Manager of adidas Running
| Why is the Adizero Pro Evo 3 so special?
Weight
What makes this shoe so fascinating is that it doesn’t simply try to improve small details. adidas has completely rethought how a supershoe is designed. The first number that jumps out is obviously the weight: just 97 grams. A completely unprecedented technical achievement in modern running and the supershoe era. To reach that figure, adidas developed a new Lightstrike Pro Evo foam, even lighter and more responsive than previous generations. The brand claims an almost 50% weight reduction compared with earlier foams used in the range.
ENERGYRIM carbon frame
Another major innovation is the new ENERGYRIM technology. adidas has completely reworked the interaction between the foam and carbon elements to maximize energy return while maintaining enough stability to hold marathon pace at extreme speeds. No more Energy Rods, no carbon plate: here, we simply find a U-shaped carbon frame.
Lightstrike Pro Evo foam
The result is stunning: the shoe delivers an 11% improvement in forefoot energy return and, more importantly, a 1.6% gain in running economy compared with the Pro Evo 2. At this level of performance, those figures are huge and can make all the difference. Sawe finished the London Marathon incredibly fast, covering his final 10 km in 27:19. His big negative split suggests that the new foam developed by the German brand helped him conserve energy throughout the race and put him in the best possible position for the decisive moment.
Ultra-light upper
The upper has also been fully optimized, with a construction inspired by kitesurfing sails to reduce weight as much as possible while still holding the foot securely. Every gram counts: stitching, laces, minimalist Continental outsole… everything has been designed to save a few extra grams. So yes, this shoe is not designed for long-term durability. The foam is highly exposed to the road, protective materials are minimal, and everything has been built around one goal: creating the lightest supershoe in history, designed purely for elite performance.
| Why shoe weight changes everything in the marathon
For a long time, brands focused mainly on cushioning and energy return. But today, weight may be the new frontier of performance. It is becoming the key battleground. Scientific studies are very clear on the subject. A 2016 study showed that adding just 100 grams per shoe increases the energy cost of running by around 1%. Another study published in 2020 also confirmed that reducing shoe weight directly improves running economy and long-distance performance.
And in a marathon where elite races can be decided by seconds, those gains are massive. At just 97 grams, the Pro Evo 3 literally changes the rules of the game. adidas is no longer simply selling a running shoe. The German brand is selling guaranteed energy savings.
For athletes, that means reduced muscular fatigue and potentially precious seconds on every kilometer.
Technical specs – ADIZERO PRO EVO 3
- Category: racing shoe with carbon frame
- Use: racing, half marathon and marathon
- Cushioning: Lightstrike Pro Evo foam
- Surface: road
- Level: advanced runners
- Weight: 97 g (men)
- Stack height: 39 mm / 36 mm
- Drop: 3 mm
- Price: €500
- Release date: April 25, 2026
| Who is the Pro Evo 3 for?
As you’ve probably understood, the adidas Adizero Pro Evo 3 is not a shoe designed for the general public. Everything here has been built around one goal: running as fast as possible over the marathon distance. The extreme lightness, responsiveness and energy efficiency all serve pure performance. But such radical design inevitably comes with compromises.
At just 97 grams, with its very high stack and aggressive platform, the Pro Evo 3 will probably not be the most comfortable or reassuring shoe for everyday runners. Its limited stability and highly specific geometry require good running technique and experience with modern supershoes.
Above all, this shoe is designed almost exclusively for race day. The lack of substantial rubber reinforcement under the sole saves weight, but necessarily reduces overall durability. Clearly, this is not a shoe made for racking up training miles. The Pro Evo 3 is a high-performance tool designed to shine in the marathon or half marathon, then be carefully preserved.
And of course, its €500 price tag places it in an ultra-premium and highly elite category. adidas is not trying to produce a mass-market shoe here, but a concentration of technology for the most ambitious athletes.
For runners looking for a very high-performance shoe that is more accessible, more durable and a little more forgiving, the adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4 is probably the more reasonable alternative. It keeps the speed-focused DNA of the Adizero line at a price more in line with the supershoe market.
The 2026 London Marathon will go down as a historic turning point. Because beyond the records, something changed in the way we now perceive human limits. The adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 is obviously not solely responsible for these monumental performances. But it perfectly symbolizes this new generation of supershoes capable of having a real, measurable impact on performance. In just three years, the Pro Evo range has gone from futuristic prototype to the most dominant and forward-thinking shoe in modern marathon history. And after what just happened in London, one question already comes to mind: how far can humans still go?
✔ The adidas Adizero Pro Evo 3 is available on adidas.com for €500.
Clément LABORIEUX
Journalist
