The major marathons of 2025 were more than just a battle between elite athletes; they served as a direct confrontation of cutting-edge technology. An analysis of the results from the World Marathon Majors—Tokyo, Boston, London, Sydney, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City—along with the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo and prestigious races in Valencia, Amsterdam, Shanghai, Hamburg, Dubai, Seville, Barcelona, Rotterdam, Paris, and Frankfurt, reveals which brands and models secured the most medals. By focusing on races where men finished under 2:05 and women under 2:20, we can identify the true leaders of the “carbon era.” Does the dominance of the traditional giants continue, or has a new king of speed emerged?
The Podium Doesn’t Lie: Brand Medals and Statistics
When analyzing the results of the seven World Marathon Majors and the World Championship marathons, Adidas proved beyond a doubt that it produces the fastest and most popular super shoes of 2025. The global sports giant outpaced the competition, racking up an impressive 21 podium finishes across these premier events. The Adidas medal haul included 9 golds, 5 silvers, and 7 bronzes.
In comparison, the second-ranked brand, Nike, earned a total of 10 medals (2 gold, 6 silver, and 2 bronze). This means Adidas secured more than double the podium spots of its closest rival. ASICS claimed the third position with 8 total medals (2 gold, 2 silver, and 4 bronze).
| Brand | Gold 🥇 | Silver 🥈 | Bronze 🥉 | Total |
| Adidas | 9 | 5 | 7 | 21 |
| Nike | 2 | 6 | 2 | 10 |
| ASICS | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 |
| ON | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Under Armour | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| PUMA | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| XTEP | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Saucony | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| HOKA | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Other notable successes included On (3 medals: 2 gold, 1 silver), Under Armour (2 medals: 1 gold, 1 silver), and single podium appearances by PUMA, XTEP, Saucony, and HOKA.
The Season’s Fastest Times: Who Ran What?
The data regarding the fastest times of the year shows fierce competition at the highest level, though Adidas remains the leader in the men’s category.
The fastest men’s marathon of 2025 was run by Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe, who clocked a staggering 2:02:16 at the Berlin Marathon wearing the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 2. Sawe underscored his dominance by also recording the fourth-fastest time of the season (2:02:27) at the London Marathon in the same model.
Just behind him, with an elite time of 2:02:23, was Jacob Kiplimo, who conquered the Chicago Marathon in the Nike Alphafly 3. Third place went to John Korir, who posted a 2:02:24 at the Valencia Marathon wearing the ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo.
On the women’s side, the leaderboard featured different standout models. The fastest women’s marathon of the year was achieved by Joyciline Jepkosgei (2:14:00) in Valencia, running in the ASICS Metaspeed Ray.
The second and third fastest times were set by athletes wearing the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1: Peres Jepchirchir (2:14:43 in Valencia) and Hawi Feysa (2:14:56 in Chicago).
Here are the fastest times set worldwide in 2025, along with the footwear that contributed to these results.
The fastest men’s marathons of 2025
| Rank | Athlete | Marathon | Time | Shoes |
| 1. | Sabastian Sawe (KEN) | Berlin Marathon | 2:02:16 | Adidas Adios Pro Evo 2 |
| 2. | Jacob Kiplimo (UGA) | Chicago Marathon | 2:02:23 | Nike Alphafly 3 |
| 3. | John Korir (KEN) | Valencia Marathon | 2:02:24 | ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo |
| 4. | Sabastian Sawe (KEN) | London Marathon | 2:02:27 | Adidas Adios Pro Evo 2 |
| 5. | Tadese Takele (ETH) | Tokyo Marathon | 2:03:23 | Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 V2 |
The fastest women’s marathons of 2025
| Rank | Athlete | Marathon | Time | Shoes |
| 1. | Joyciline Jepkosgei (KEN) | Valencia Marathon | 2:14:00 | ASICS Metaspeed Ray |
| 2. | Peres Jepchirchir (KEN) | Valencia Marathon | 2:14:43 | Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 |
| 3. | Hawi Feysa (ETH) | Chicago Marathon | 2:14:56 | Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 |
| 4. | Tigst Assefa (ETH) | London Marathon | 2:15:50 | Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 |
| 5. | Sutume Asefa Kebede (ETH) | Tokyo Marathon | 2:16:31 | ON Cloudboom Strike LS |
The Models That Ruled 2025
Based on medals won across all major marathons, the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 2 stands as the most successful shoe of 2025, earning 9 medals (including 5 golds). This model was the choice of winners in Berlin, London, New York City, and at the World Championships for both men and women.
Other top-performing models included the ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo (7 medals), the Adidas Adios Pro Evo 1 (6 medals), the Adidas Adios Pro 4 (6 medals), and the Nike Alphafly 3 (4 medals).
A Tech Race with No Finish Line
The 2025 season confirmed that there is no longer room for chance in elite marathon running—success is a precise blend of athlete form, strategy, and technology. While the differences between top-tier models are becoming more subtle, their impact on performance remains critical. The battle for the “fastest shoe in the world” shows no signs of slowing down.
