The U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials, which took place this past Saturday, showcased an array of impressive performances from the country’s top athletes, each with their respective brands, vying for a victory on the road to Paris.
While all eyes were on the athletes that day, there is no doubt we were all taking a look at what the podium finishers were donning on their feet as they crossed the line to become Olympians, among other top finishers.
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
It was an epic day for the folks at Puma.
In the womenโs race, the Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3 went one and three, with Trials winner Fiona OโKeeffe and third-place Dakotah Lindwurm donning the unreleased shoe.
Alongside the podium performers, Puma was one of the most prevalent and fastest shoes in the womenโs race at the Olympic Trials, with the likes of Annie Fisher and Natosha Rogers also donning a pair.
Not yet available to the public, the Deviate Nitro Elite 3 was approved for use by World Athletics on the day of the competition, February 3, 2024, as a โdevelopmentโ shoe.
Puma has yet to release specifications or drop date details.
Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% (v1)
As the saying goes, donโt fix what isnโt broken.
Menโs Olympic Trials winner Conner Mantz, representing Nike, was seen wearing the original edition of the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next%, which was released in 2000.
Mantz led a parade of Nike runners across the line, with 11 of the top 25 menโs runners and another eight of the top 25 women wearing Nike, making it the most prevalent brand among the top 25 men and women.
Unsurprisingly, the latest Nike Alphafly 3 was the most prevalent among Nike wearers, with 12 of the 19 total Nike runners wearing the latest super shoe. Albert Korir, the third-place finisher in the menโs race, was among the top runners wearing the Alphafly 3.
What is still unclear is why some runners would opt for a dated version of the Alphafly, such as Mantz.
Asics Metaspeed
Another surprising standout shoe that was quite prevalent among the top-finishing men and women was Asics. Seven runners among the 25 fastest menโs and womenโs finishers were donning some variation of either the Asics Metaspeed Edge+ or the Asics Metaspeed Sky+.
This includes prototypes of newer variations, which are set to be available to the public in early March.
Among the most notable finishers wearing Asics was the menโs runner-up Clayton Young. Young was wearing a pair of Asicis Metaspeed Sky 3 prototypes during the race.
Honorable Mentions
There were many other brands and models among the top runners in the menโs and womenโs fields.
Six runners among the top 25 in both fields were donning Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 prototypes. Five were wearing Adidas Adios Pro 3, and three wore either the Hoka Cielo X-1 or Hoka Rocket X-2. Two runners wore Saucony Endorphin Elite, and one runner each was wearing Salomon S-Lab Phantasm and Altra Vanish Carbon.
Womenโs runner-up and pre-race favorite Emily Sisson wore the New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer, the only one in the top 25 menโs and womenโs fields to wear that brand and model.
You can find the full list of the shoes the top 25 men and women were wearing at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials below.
Women’s Top 25
1. Fiona OโKeeffe, 2:22:10 โ Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
2. Emily Sisson, 2:22:42 โ New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Pacer
3. Dakotah Lindwurm, 2:25:31, โ Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
4. Jessica McClain, 2:25:46, โ Nike Vaporfly 3
5. Sara Hall, 2:26:06 โ Asics Metaspeed Edge 3 Prototype
6. Caroline Rotich, 2:26:10 โ Asics Metaspeed Edge+
7. Makenna Myler, 2:26:14 โ Asics Metaspeed Sky 3 Prototype
8. Lindsay Flanagan, 2:26:25 โ Asics Metaspeed Edge 3 Prototype
9. Emily Durgin, 2:27:56 โ Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
10. Annie Frisbie, 2:27:56 โ Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
11. Des Linden, 2:28:04 โ Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 Prototype
12. Savannah Berry, 2:29:17 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 2
13. Molly Grabill, 2:30:16 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
14. Sarah Sellers, 2:30:17 โ Asics Metaspeed Edge 3 Prototype
15. Kellyn Taylor, 2:30:28 โ Hoka Rocket X 2
16. Anne-Marie Blaney, 2:30:43 โ Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 Prototype
17. Tristin Van Ord, 2:30:46 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
18. Jessa Hanson, 2:31:02 โ Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
19. Gabi Rookier, 2:31:25 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
20. Maya Weigel, 2:32:16 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
21. Amy Davis, 2:33:09 โ Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 Prototype
22. Maggie Montoya, 2:33:12 โ Salomon S-Lab Phantasm
23. Marybeth Chelanga, 2:33:33 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 2
24. Roberta Groner, 2:33:33 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
25. Jacqueline Gaughan, 2:34:12 โ Saucony Endorphin Elite
Men’s Top 25
1. Conner Mantz, 2:09:05 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next%
2. Clayton Young, 2:09:06 โ Asics Metaspeed Sky 3 Prototype
3. Leonard Korir, 2:09:57 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
4. Elkanah Kibet, 2:10:02 –Asics Metaspeed Edge 3 Prototype
5. CJ Albertson, 2:10:07 โ Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 Prototype
6. Zach Panning, 2:10:50 โ Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 Prototype
7. Nathan Martin, 2:11:00 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
8. Josh Izewski, 2:11:09 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
9. Reed Fischer, 2:11:34 โ Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
10. Colin Bennie, 2:12:17 โ Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 Prototype
11. Biya Simbassa, 2:12:21 โ Under Armour Velociti Elite 2
12. Connor Winter, 2:13:03 โ Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
13. Connor Weaver, 2:13:06 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
14. Futsum Zienasellassie, 2:13:58 โ Hoka Cielo X 1
15. Daniel Mesfun, 2:14:04 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 2
16. Galen Rupp, 2:14:07 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next%
17. Joshua Kalopos, 2:14:26, โ Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3
18. Lyle OโBrien, 2:14:29 โ Nike Vaporfly 3
19. Frank Lara, 2:14:55 โ Altra Vanish Carbon
20. Colin Mickow, 2:14:59 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
21. Jacob Heslington, 2:15:12 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
22. Habtamu Cheney, 2:15:43 โ Nike Air Zoom Alphafly 3
23. Sydney Gidabuday, 2:15:51- Saucony Endorphin Elite
24. Nicholas Hauger, 2:15:56 โ Hoka Cielo X 1
25. Nadir Yusuf, 2:16:15 โ Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3