Something extraordinary happened at the Berlin Marathon on Sunday — and it had nothing to do with finish times alone.
Every single runner who stood on the podium, all six of them, laced up the exact same shoe.
That shoe is the Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 — a $500 racing flat that has quietly become the most dominant piece of footwear in marathon history right now.
With two World Majors still on the calendar, the question isn’t whether Adidas is winning the shoe wars — it’s by how much.
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A Clean Sweep Nobody Saw Coming
When Guye Adola crossed the finish line in 2:02:50 — a personal best — he joined five other athletes who had all made the same footwear choice.
Behind him, Gemechu Dida ran 2:03:19 for second, with Gabriel Geay rounding out the men’s podium in 2:03:59.
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On the women’s side, Tigst Assefa delivered one of the most jaw-dropping performances in marathon history, clocking a course record 2:11:04 — the third-fastest marathon ever run by a woman.
Bedatu Hirpa and Dera Dida followed in 2:16:53 and 2:16:55, completing an Adidas clean sweep across both races.
Assefa’s Record Came in a Shoe You Can’t Buy
Here’s where things get even more interesting.
Assefa didn’t run in the standard Evo 3 that retail customers can purchase. She raced in a development version — listed under World Athletics’ approved shoe registry as either the EVO 3 DEV or EVO 3 DEV1, with Adidas declining to specify which variant she wore.
This isn’t the first time, either. Her 2:11:53 world record at this same race in 2023 came courtesy of a prototype variant of the original Adios Pro Evo — a shoe that was also unavailable to the general public.
What makes Sunday’s performance even more staggering? Assefa slowed significantly over the final two kilometers, appearing to limp toward the line — and still shaved 49 seconds off her own world record.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
The $500 Shoe Most Runners Can’t Get Their Hands On
For those hoping to race in the same shoe as Sunday’s podium finishers, good luck.
The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 launched in April at $500, and larger sizes sold out within hours of its release. Pairs quickly appeared on resale platform StockX — some listed at a staggering $5,500.
Adidas spent race week heavily promoting the Adizero Adios Pro 5, a more accessible alternative that dropped on September 22 at $275. Built on a similar shape to the Evo 3 but designed for durability, the Pro 5 weighs in at 177 grams — nearly double the Evo 3’s featherlight 97 grams.
Despite the marketing push, every podium athlete still chose the lighter, pricier option. That says everything.
Five of the Ten Biggest Marathon Wins This Year Belong to One Shoe
Berlin wasn’t an isolated moment — it was the latest chapter in what is becoming an unprecedented run of dominance.
The Evo 3 has now claimed five victories at World Marathon Majors in 2025. The highlight reel is extraordinary.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
- Sabastian Sawe wore it to run 1:59:30 in London in April — the first sub-two-hour marathon to count for official records
- Assefa wore it that same day in London to set the women-only world record
- Peres Jepchirchir then claimed victory in Sydney in the same shoe
- And now, both Berlin titles join the list
The remaining five Major victories this season were split across four different brands — a stark contrast to Adidas’ concentration of wins.
Tadese Takele won Tokyo in an older Adidas model, the Adios Pro Evo 1. Brigid Kosgei took the women’s Tokyo title in Nike’s Vaporfly 4. Boston saw John Korir win in an ASICS Metaspeed Sky prototype, with Sharon Lokedi claiming her victory in Under Armour’s Velociti Elite 3. Addisu Gobena won the men’s Sydney race in a prototype of Nike’s Alphafly 4.
One Athlete Bridged Both Berlin Podiums
Dera Dida holds a unique distinction — she’s the only athlete to appear on the Berlin podium in back-to-back years.
Twelve months ago, she stood on that same podium racing in the Adidas Adios Pro 4. On Sunday, she crossed the line wearing the Evo 3.
Last year’s Berlin podium told a more competitive story across brands. Sawe won in the Evo 2, while Akira Akasaki finished second in a Nike Alphafly 3 and Azmera Gebru claimed third in ASICS’ Metaspeed Tokyo. Rosemary Wanjiru and the returning Dera Dida went one-two in the women’s race wearing the Pro 4.
That kind of brand diversity feels like a distant memory after Sunday’s result.
If you want something simple that actually works, this is one of the most effective tools I’ve used to build strength, conditioning, and endurance without needing a full gym setup.
- Full-body training with one weight using swings, squats, and presses
- Solid cast iron build that feels stable and lasts for years
- Comfortable grip that makes high-rep workouts easier to handle
What Happens at Chicago and New York?
Two World Marathon Majors remain on the 2025 calendar — Chicago and New York City.
Sabastian Sawe, the world record holder and defending Berlin champion who ran 1:59:30 in London, was ruled out of Sunday’s race after suffering a tibial stress fracture in August. His return to competition remains unclear.
Nike, ASICS, and Under Armour will be desperate to answer Adidas’ statement season with results of their own. The race for the finish line has become a race for the podium — and right now, Adidas is winning both.
