Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha Shatter the Sub-2-Hour Marathon Barrier in the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3
At the London Marathon, adidas athletes made history by setting unprecedented new world records while wearing the brand’s lightest and fastest racing shoe to date.
Summary
- adidas athletes Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha made history at the London Marathon, both breaking the elusive sub-2-hour marathon barrier in official competition
- Kenyan-born Sawe set a new men’s world record with a staggering time of 1:59:30, while Kejelcha crossed the line at 1:59:41 in his marathon debut and in the women’s race, Ethiopian athlete Tigist Assefa set a new women-only world record, finishing at 2:15:41
- All three record-breaking athletes were running in the newly revealed adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, officially cementing its status as a revolutionary “super shoe”
A new era of long-distance running has officially arrived, and it was ushered in by the three stripes. At the recent London Marathon, adidas athletes Sabastian Sawe and Yomif Kejelcha achieved what was once thought impossible in a competitive race: breaking the two-hour marathon barrier. Cementing an utterly dominant weekend for the brand, fellow adidas runner Tigist Assefa shattered the women-only marathon world record, with all three historic finishes powered by the revolutionary new adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3.
The monumental race saw Sabastian Sawe rewrite the history books, crossing the finish line at an astonishing 1:59:30 to claim the official men’s world record. “To break the world record is something I have dreamed about for a long time, and to achieve it means so much to me and to the sport of running,” Sawe stated in an official press release. Hot on his heels was Yomif Kejelcha, who clocked a blistering 1:59:41, making the sub-2-hour feat even more remarkable given it was his debut marathon.
On the women’s side, Ethiopian star Tigist Assefa continued the momentum by claiming the women-only world record with a phenomenal time of 2:15:41. “It shows the work that happens every day, the strength of the team around me, and how everything comes together to go beyond what we thought was possible,” Assefa shared regarding her milestone victory.
The undisputed co-star of the event was the footwear. All three athletes laced up the brand-new adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3—the lightest and fastest Adizero shoe the brand has ever created. Engineered with a 39 mm heel and 33 mm forefoot (a 6 mm drop), the record-breaking silhouette provided the unmatched energy return required to push human limits. Beyond the footwear, the athletes were equipped with adidas’ latest apparel innovations, including Techfit+ Endurance Shorts, Climacool+ Singlets, and the Techfit+ Endurance Suit.
Since the introduction of the Adizero Adios Pro Evo series in April 2025, the franchise has been an unstoppable force on the global racing circuit, securing multiple world records and major marathon victories. With this latest trio of historic times in London, the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 has definitively etched its name into running history as the premier choice for elite marathoners.
