Nike vs Adidas: Footwear battle down to the wire
The Adizero Adios Pro” shoe.
What you need to know:
- Kipchoge’s Vienna effort was flighted by Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT %.
- Perhaps that’s why Adidas have unleashed their new range of “Adizero Adios Pro” in an attempt to get their records back as the battle between the world leaders in footwear technology rises to a crescendo.
Last October in Vienna, Austria, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge became the first man to dip under two hours in the marathon, covering the 42-kilometre distance in one hour, 59 minutes and 40 seconds.
This was just a month after compatriot and NN Running Team stable-mate Geoffrey Kamworor improved the world half marathon record to 58:01 at the Copenhagen Half Marathon.
The latest model of the Nike ZoomX Vaporfly shoes called the NEXT% that Eliud Kipchoge wore during the INEOS 1:59 Challenge at Prater Park, Vienna on October 12, 2019.
Although Kipchoge’s record doesn’t stand as the official world record for the marathon given the non-compliant nature of the famous INEOS 1:59 Challenge in Vienna, the Kenyan legend also hosts the official world record over the distance, 2:01:39, from the 2018 Berlin Marathon.
Kipchoge’s Berlin time was an improvement of one minute and 18 seconds from the previous best time held by Dennis Kimetto, while Kamworor slashed 17 records off the previous half marathon record held by another Kenyan, Abraham Kiptum.
Nike’s Zoom range
While Kimetto set his record wearing Adidas racing shoes, Kipchoge and Kamworor dipped under the respective previous best times running in Nike’s Zoom range of prototypes that have since causes a wave in the market.
Kipchoge’s Vienna effort was flighted by Nike Air Zoom Alphafly NEXT %.
Perhaps that’s why Adidas have unleashed their new range of “Adizero Adios Pro” in an attempt to get their records back as the battle between the world leaders in footwear technology rises to a crescendo.
The Adidas’ Adizero franchise revolution started in 2008 when Ethiopia’s Haile Gebrselassie became the first man to break the 2:04 barrier, winning the Berlin Marathon in a then new world record 2:03:59.
The Kenya-dominated elite field during the RunCzech-organised Prague Half Marathon in 2017. The organisers hope several records will fall in this Saturday’s (September 5, 2020) special half marathon event.
Ten years later, Adidas developed the Adizero Adios Pro with top athletes, including Kenya’s Joyciline Jepkosgei and Rhonex Kipruto helping develop prototypes to improve bending stiffness, energy return, mass reduction and design geometry.
“The collaborative process directly led to the shoe’s design breakthrough, EnergyRods,” Adidas explain.
“EnergyRods consist of five tuned carbon-infused rods, which mimic the metatarsal bones of the foot, allowing runners to maintain their speed for longer, optimizing running economy and creating less physical impact on the body.”
