Adidas Stock Climbs After Adizero Shoes Carry London Marathon Winners to World Records

Adidas shares rose on Monday after three runners wearing the company’s newest racing shoe rewrote the marathon record book at the 2026 London Marathon. Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe led the way, becoming the first man to break the two-hour barrier in a record-eligible marathon.

The stock gained nearly 2 percent in early Frankfurt trading before easing to a 1.4 percent gain at €138, or about $162 a share. Adidas is still down more than 18 percent for the year with investors weighing US tariff exposure, softer sales in its Middle East stores and a crowded sportswear market.

Sawe crossed the line on Sunday in 1:59:30, beating the previous official men’s world record of 2:00:35 by 65 seconds. That mark had been set by the late Kenyan runner Kelvin Kiptum at the 2023 Chicago Marathon. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha also broke two hours, finishing second in 1:59:41. Ethiopia’s Tigst Assefa won the women’s race in 2:15:41, lowering her own women-only world record.

Each of the three runners chose the same racer, the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3. Adidas says it is the lightest shoe in the Adizero family, with an average weight of 97 grams, a retail price of $500, and a limited launch on April 23. The Deep Dive, citing figures supplied by Adidas, reports the new model delivers 11 percent more forefoot energy return and a 1.6 percent improvement in running economy over the previous version.

A reset for the running franchise

The performances give Adidas a marketing asset that no campaign budget can replicate, especially as the brand fights to claw back ground from Nike in elite road racing.

Speaking to CNN, Deutsche Bank analyst Adam Cochrane said the London result was “an important milestone for a successful rebuild of their running franchise” at Adidas, and would “cement the sporting credibility of Adidas in an important and growing category.”

Cochrane told CNN the harder task is turning a record into recurring demand. “The London Marathon wins highlight the research and development work put in by Adidas over a number of years,” he said. “The key will be taking the marketing boost… and transferring this into customer demand amongst club and casual runners.”

In a statement issued by Adidas and reported by both CNN and City A.M., Patrick Nava, general manager at Adidas Running, said: “The Adidas family is incredibly proud of Sabastian and Tigst’s historic achievements, marking the fastest times humans have ever run in a marathon. This is a testament to the years of hard work and dedication they have made, alongside our innovation team.”