The Exact Sneakers Sabastian Sawe Wore in His History-Making Marathon Run

The two-hour marathon has long been treated like a hard stop—something athletes chased, but never quite reached under official race conditions. That changed in London, where Kenyan long-distance runner Sabastian Sawe turned what once felt theoretical into a finish-line fact. And while the headlines are all about time, there’s another detail quietly clocking its own moment: the exact sneakers on his feet.

At the 2026 London Marathon, Sabastian crossed the line in 1:59:30, becoming the first person to officially run a marathon in under two hours. It wasn’t a marginal win either—he beat the previous world record by over a minute, a significant gap in a sport where seconds usually separate the field.

Yomif Kejelcha followed just 11 seconds behind, also dipping under two hours in his marathon debut, while Jacob Kiplimo rounded out the podium with a time that still surpassed the previous world record.

The moment carried extra weight given the sport’s recent history. When Eliud Kipchoge ran a sub-two-hour marathon in 2019, it came under controlled conditions that didn’t qualify for official records. Sabastian’s run, by contrast, happened on an open course, in a standard race format—making it the first of its kind to count.

On race day, Sabastian wore the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3—a newly launched silhouette from Adidas that’s already being credited as part of the performance equation.

Released just days before the marathon, the shoe was developed alongside elite runners over several years, according to BBC reports. It’s also unusually light at under 100 grams, or roughly the weight of a small bar of soap.

Instead of the traditional carbon plate found in most “super shoes,” this pair uses a carbon-based structure that wraps around the midsole. The goal is the same—maximize energy return while minimizing weight—but the execution is noticeably different. Add to that a rocker-shaped sole and responsive foam cushioning, and you get a shoe designed to keep momentum going, especially in the later stages of a race.

Sabastian himself pointed out the difference, describing the pair as “very light” and stable, according to BBC.

For those looking to get their hands on the exact pair, the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 retails for around P30,000 in the Philippines—but it’s currently sold out!