All six podium finishers at the 2026 Berlin Marathon on 27 September raced in the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3, a result that adidas and several shoe-testing outlets have pointed to as a rare, and possibly unprecedented, sweep at a World Marathon Major. The shoe was released in April 2026 and has been on the feet of many of the year's leading marathon performances.
The men's podium was Ethiopia's Guye Adola in 2:02:51, Gemechu Dida Diriba in 2:03:19 and Tanzania's Gabriel Geay in 2:03:59. In the women's race Tigst Assefa won in 2:11:04, ahead of compatriot Bedatu Hirpa in 2:16:53. Every one of those results came in the same model, which The Running Channel described as the fastest shoe currently available.
Berlin has long been a showcase for adidas, and the brand's athletes have traditionally been well represented on the podium. A clean sweep nonetheless goes further than the usual sponsor-driven picture, and it arrives as rivals including Nike and Reebok push new plated shoes to market this autumn.
It is worth keeping the result in perspective. Elite athletes are contracted to brands, and their shoe choice reflects sponsorship as much as independent testing, so a podium sweep says more about which athletes adidas has signed than about a measurable advantage for recreational runners. Independent research on carbon-plated shoes has repeatedly found that benefits vary between individuals and by pace and terrain.
For everyday runners the more practical question is price and availability, since halo shoes of this kind sit at the top of a brand's range. The Berlin result should add to demand for the Pro Evo 3, but anyone considering a purchase for a marathon of their own would do better to look at reviews and try several shoes than to follow the podium.