What Does the Debut of the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 Spell for adidas?

If adidas marketeers sat in a room and tried to devise the best possible debut for the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, the success of the London Marathon would have been a moon shot. Nevertheless, last Sunday three marathoners broke records and displayed feats of superhuman ability – all wearing the brand-spanking-new supershoe.

The London event was the first time the Pro Evo 3 was worn in a competitive race, and saw Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe and Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha run in under two hours, setting times of 1:59:30 and 1:59:41, respectively – firsts of their kind. In the women’s race, Ethiopian athlete Tigst Assefa set a new record, completing the 42km distance in 2:15:41.

adidas have revelled in the success, and they deserve it – because the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 represents the kind of technological jump paramount to winning the race of reaching the perfect supershoe.

The successes of the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 don’t come as a total surprise, with the franchise last year sitting on more podiums at Marathon Majors than any other brand. As a group, the line has helped break three world records and win over 30 key road races.

What these stats tells us is that the Trefoil lab in Herzogenaurach are doing something right when it comes to innovation. Disregard the victories from Sunday, and the Pro Evo 3 is still the lightest elite race-day shoe from the brand, weighing in at approximately 97 grams – 30 per cent less than the Pro Evo 2! It’s also said to improve forefoot energy return by 11 per cent and increase running economy by 1.6 per cent when compared to its predecessor.

‘The adidas family is incredibly proud of Sabastian and Tigst’s historic achievements,’ said Patrick Nava, General Manager at adidas Running. ‘[This] marks 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, who have built a supershoe which breaks new ground in the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3.’

Following this triumph, adidas shares rose almost 2 per cent on Monday and the $500 limited release of the Pro Evo 3 sold out within minutes (partially expected, as elite race-day shoes regularly sell through upon first launch).

Since the start of the year, adidas shares have dropped 18 per cent, due to tariffs in the United States and the economic effect of Middle Eastern conflict, but this year their share price is out-performing competitors like Nike and PUMA. Mixing victories on the world stage with a strong core road-running catalogue places adidas as the conquistadors of running footwear in 2026.

The Three Stripes’ longtime competitor Nike are sitting behind at this point, but have their highly anticipated Alphafly 4 in development. It should also be noted that in London, Jacob Kiplimo ran an impressive 2:00:28 while rocking a prototype from Team Swoosh. ASICS are another close rival to adi’s throne – their Metaspeed franchise continues to prove itself, with a prototype scoring third place in the women’s race in London and first place in the men’s Boston Marathon.

We’re sure to see Team Trefoil ride high on their achievements from last weekend, but they aren’t resting on their laurels. Project RAP is another exciting opportunity bubbling at the Herzogenaurach HQ, producing 3D-printed football boots and hardwood hoopers. The World Cup is the next major opportunity for the German giants, and we’ve already seen them double down on their collaborations and cultural input ahead of the biggest sporting event of 2026.

adidas launched their Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 for $500 just ahead of the London Marathon, with a wider launch poised to follow later this year.

You can keep up to date with all of the shoes taking podium places at Major Marathon events in 2026 right here!