Adidas ultra-light shoes get running lift from double marathon records
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The newly launched shoe contains Adidas's latest light and springy foam, which it calls “Lightstrike Pro Evo,” and a new design that helps propel runners forward. Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP via Getty ImagesArticle contentAs athletes and spectators marvel at, not one, but two men smashing the once-unthinkable two-hour barrier in this year’s London Marathon, German sportsgear maker Adidas AG also has reason to celebrate.Sign In or Create an AccountEmail AddressContinueor View more offersArticle contentKenya’s Sabastian Sawe and Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha were both clad in its new and ultra-light US$500 racing shoe as they crossed the finishing line on Sunday.Article contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentArticle contentSawe pulled away from Kejelcha in the final moments to achieve a world-record time of 1 hour 59 minutes and 30 seconds, more than a minute faster than the previous best. Kejelcha finished just 11 seconds behind, a remarkable feat in his first-ever competition at the 26.2-mile (42.2-kilometer) distance.Article contentPosthasteBreaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.There was an error, please provide a valid email address.Sign UpBy signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.Thanks for signing up!A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againInterested in more newsletters? Browse here.Article contentIn the women’s race, Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa pulled away from Kenya’s Hellen Obiri in the last mile to win in a time of 2 hours 15 minutes and 41 seconds, breaking the women’s-only world record she set in the event last year.Article contentFor all three, the common denominator was Adidas’s Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a shoe the company debuted Thursday and which weighs just 97 grams (3.42 ounces) in a standard size. That’s the lightest-ever version of the sort of running sneaker that has transformed distance running in the past decade.Article content“This is a testament to the years of hard work and dedication they have made, alongside our innovation team, who have built a supershoe which breaks new ground,” said Patrick Nava, general manager of running at Adidas.Article contentShares of Adidas rose 1.4 per cent in early Frankfurt trading on Monday. They have dropped about 18 per cent so far this year, amid investor concerns about the impact of economic and geopolitical uncertainty on the sportswear industry.Article contentArticle contentObiri was wearing On Holding AG’s LightSpray Cloudboom Strike, a US$330 laceless racing shoe that’s produced by robots. She smashed her own personal best in the process, taking second place in the women’s race behind Assefa.Article contentRead More Lululemon founder Chip Wilson is starting athletic-brand venture Saudis now want sports to make money, clouding LIV Golf’s future Article contentStatement RunArticle contentIn the men’s race, Sawe even surpassed the time of Eliud Kipchoge, who in 2019 ran the distance in 1:59:40 during a Nike-organized event in Vienna that wasn’t eligible for world-record status. That included a host of people pacing Kipchoge for most of the run.Article contentIn London, Sawe and Kejelcha pushed each other in the final miles of the race, long after leaving official pacers behind.Article contentFor brands, a high-profile winner in their latest footwear adds a stamp of legitimacy. Running shoes are a booming business, with the United States market growing 13 per cent in the year through February to US$8.1 billion, according to market researcher Circana LLC. It’s a major piece of the broader performance-shoe category, which may reach US$104 billion in global sales by 2030, according to Euromonitor.Trending Posthaste: Deficits are climbing across Canada, but this province is awash in red ink News Carney launches $25-billion sovereign wealth fund that will allow Canadians to share in profits Economy Subscriber only. How a collapsing rental market is costing some homeowners more than they bargained for Subscriber only Real Estate Real Brokerage to buy Re/Max in widening industry consolidation Real Estate Energy giant Shell to buy Canada's ARC Resources for $22 billion Oil & Gas Article contentAdidas has been rebuilding its running franchise in recent years, looking to capitalize on the booming popularity of a sport that’s helped support the rise of challenger brands including Hoka, On and Brooks. The German company has benefited from strong demand for its comfy US$150 Adizero Evo SL sneaker, which is a less intense take on the marathon-racing shoe worn by Sawe and others.Article contentThe running push is part of chief executive Bjorn Gulden’s efforts to derive more profits from performance sports gear and reduce the brand’s dependence on fashion items like the Samba and Gazelle shoes.Article contentThe Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 model is 30 per cent lighter than its predecessor, Adidas said. The shoe contains the company’s latest light and springy foam, which it calls “Lightstrike Pro Evo,” and a new design for the carbon fibre component in the sole that helps propel runners forward, according to the company.Article contentBloomberg.comArticle contentWe apologize, but this video has failed to load.Try refreshing your browser, ortap here to see other videos from our team.Play VideoArticle contentShare this article in your social networkCommentsYou must be logged in to join the discussion or read more comments.Create an AccountSign in Join the Conversation Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion. Please keep comments relevant and respectful. Comments may take up to an hour to appear on the site. You will receive an email if there is a reply to your comment, an update to a thread you follow or if a user you follow comments. Visit our Community Guidelines for more information. 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