Sawe Sets Sub-2-Hour Marathon World Record

Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe made history on Sunday by becoming the first athlete to complete an official marathon in under two hours, clocking 1:59:30 to win the London Marathon while wearing Adidas's Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 shoes.

Sawe's time shattered the previous men's world record of 2:00:35, set by the late Kelvin Kiptum at the Chicago Marathon in October 2023. Ethiopia's Tigst Assefa also set a new women's world record of 2:15:41, defending her London title, while Yomif Kejelcha of Ethiopia took second place in his marathon debut. All three top performers wore the Adidas shoe, which weighs under 100 grams per shoe, features innovative foam and a carbon-plated sole, and is designed to improve running economy by 1.6 percent compared to its predecessor.

The ultralight trainers, priced at 500 euros and currently sold out, represent the latest in "supershoe" technology that has transformed elite marathon racing. Adidas released the first version of the Adizero Adios Pro Evo line in late 2023 after Assefa's previous women's record at the Berlin Marathon. Sawe praised the shoe's qualities after the race, telling reporters, "The big difference is it's so light and very...