Adidas shares climbed on Monday following Kenyan runner Sabastian Sawe’s record-breaking victory at the 2026 London Marathon, in which he became the first person in history to complete an official marathon in under two hours.
Sawe crossed the finish line on Sunday in one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds, wearing the brand new Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a shoe weighing just 97 grams, making it the lightest competitive running shoe ever produced.
Shares in the German sportswear company rose nearly two percent on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange on Monday, briefly touching €138 per share before closing 1.0 percent higher at €118.22 ($138.80).
The victory was a significant win for Adidas over long-time rival Nike, whose own decade-long project to break the two-hour marathon barrier never produced an official world record. Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha also finished under two hours in second place, also wearing Adidas, while fellow Ethiopian Tigist Assefa broke the women’s world record in the same shoe.
Despite Monday’s gains, Adidas stock remains down more than 18 percent this year amid US tariff pressures and a competitive sportswear market. Analysts say the marathon sweep could provide meaningful momentum for the brand heading into the autumn racing season.
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