Every Running Sneaker Marathon Winners Wore in 2025

With the New York City Marathon taking place this Sunday, it got us thinking about what runners will be wearing – and how we’d probably need Nike’s new Project Amplify robotic sneaker to even sniff the finish line.

You can pretty much wear anything to take a quick jog around the block. But a marathon? That’s a whole different ball game. When you’re pushing your body through 26.2 miles, the wrong pair of sneakers can spell disaster before you’ve even hit mile five. Which is why when you look at the podiums from the world’s biggest races this year you start to notice a pattern. The same handful of super shoes keep showing up – ultra-light, carbon-plated machines that shave off seconds (and sometimes minutes) for elite runners.

From Tokyo to Chicago, 2025 has been another landmark year for marathon tech. adidas continued its domination with the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2, Nike’s Alphafly 3 proved it’s still a force to be reckoned with, and ASICS quietly climbed the ranks with its Metaspeed Sky Tokyo. Below, we’ve broken down every major marathon of 2025 – who won, what they wore, and which sneakers are shaping up to be the fastest on Planet Earth.

Tokyo Marathon 2025

March 2, 2025

The World Marathon Majors kicked off back in March with the Tokyo Marathon, where Ethiopia’s Tadese Takele led the pack with an incredible 2:03:23, wearing the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1. The brand's feather-light racer (weighing in at just 138 grams) continued to prove its worth as the go-to for elite performance.

Nike and ASICS rounded out the men’s podium, with runners in the Vaporfly 4 and Metaspeed Sky, showing that even as adidas dominates, the carbon-plate race is still a three-way fight. On the women’s side, Sutume Asefa Kebede clocked 2:16:31 in On’s Cloudboom Strike LS, a major win for the Swiss brand that’s quickly earning respect among elite athletes.

It set the tone for 2025: smaller brands breaking through, and the usual giants – adidas, Nike, ASICS – refining super-shoe tech to microscopic precision.

Men's Results

1. Tadese Takele (Ethiopia) - 2:03:23
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 v2
2. Deresa Geleta (Ethiopia) - 2:03:51
   1. Shoes: Nike Vaporfly 4
3. Vincent Kipkemoi Ngetich (Kenya) - 2:04:00
   1. Shoes: ASICS Metaspeed Sky

Women's Results

1. Sutume Asefa Kebede (Ethiopia) - 2:16:31
   1. Shoes: On Cloudboom Strike LS
2. Winfridah Moraa Moseti (Kenya) - 2:16:56
   1. Shoes: ASICS Metaspeed Sky (prototype)
3. Hawi Feysa (Ethiopia) - 2:17:00
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4

Boston Marathon 2025

April 21, 2025

Boston brought brutal hills and equally fierce competition. Kenya’s John Korir took the men’s title with 2:04:45, wearing the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris/Tokyo, proving ASICS’ stride-based shoe design philosophy can hang with the best.

In the women’s race, Sharon Lokedi broke the course record with 2:17:22, doing so in a prototype pair of Under Armour Velociti Elite 3s. It was arguably the biggest surprise of the season – Under Armour isn’t usually part of the super-shoe conversation, but that could change fast after this performance. Sole Retriever was fortunate enough to speak with Sharon about her victory just days after her win.

adidas still showed strength with back-to-back podium finishes, while On continued to make inroads via Hellen Obiri’s second-place run in the Cloudboom Strike LS.

Men's Results

1. John Korir (Kenya) - 2:04:45
   1. Shoes: ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris/Tokyo
2. Alphonce Felix Simbu (Tanzania) - 2:05:04
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
3. CyBrian Kotut (Kenya) - 2:05:04
   1. Shoes: aidas Adio Pro Evo 2

Women's Results

1. Sharon Lokedi (Kenya) - 2:17:22 (Course Record)
   1. Shoes: Under Armour Velociti Elite 3 (prototype)
2. Hellen Obiri (Kenya) - 2:17:41
   1. Shoes: On Cloudboom Strike LS
3. Yalemzerf Yehualaw (Ethiopia) - 2:18:06
   1. Shoes: Nike Alphafly 3

London Marathon 2025

April 27, 2025

London saw the return of one of marathon’s brightest stars, Sabastian Sawe, who stormed through the course in 2:02:27 wearing the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2. It wasn’t just a win – it was one of the fastest times in history and the start of a season-defining streak for both Sawe and adidas.

The women’s race was equally historic, with Tigst Assefa setting a women’s-only world record (2:15:50) in the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1. It cemented adidas’ total dominance on the London course and solidified the Adizero line as the gold standard in long-distance racing.

Meanwhile, Nike’s Alphafly 3 and ASICS’ Metaspeed Sky Tokyo made podium appearances.

Men's Results

1. Sabastian Sawe (Kenya) - 2:02:27
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
2. Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) - 2:03:37
   1. Shoes: Nike Alphafly 3
3. Alexander Mutiso Munyao (Kenya) - 2:04:20
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2

Women's Results

1. Tigst Assefa (Ethiopia) - 2:15:50 (Women's-Only World Record)
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 v2
2. Joyciline Jepkosgei (Kenya) - 2:18:44
   1. Shoes: ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo
3. Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) - 2:19:00
   1. Shoes: Nike Alphafly 3 (Prototype)

Sydney Marathon 2025

August 31, 2025

Sydney may not yet be part of the official World Marathon Majors circuit, but performances like this year’s make a strong case for inclusion. Ethiopia’s Hailemaryam Kiros set a new course record (2:06:06) in the ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo, showing the brand’s continued momentum across continents.

For the women, it was Sifan Hassan’s show – her 2:18:22 finish (another course record) in the Nike Alphafly 3 proved her versatility and reaffirmed the Alphafly as one of the world’s most advanced marathon silhouettes.

Runners from Nike, ASICS, and even Xtep (with the 160x 5.0 Pro) rounded out the top spots, showing how Asian brands are starting to carve out a piece of the high-performance market too.

Men's Results

1. Hailemaryam Kiros (Ethiopia) - 2:06:06 (Course Record)
   1. Shoes: ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo
2. Addisu Gobena (Ethiopia) - 2:06:16
   1. Shoes: Nike Vaporfly 4
3. Tebello Ramakongoana (Lesotho) - 2:06:47
   1. Shoes: Xtep 160x 5.0 Pro

Women's Results

1. Sifan Hassan (Netherlands) - 2:18:22 (Course Record)
   1. Shoes: Nike Alphafly 3
2. Brigid Kosgei (Kenya) - 2:18:56
   1. Shoes: Nike Vaporfly 4
3. Workenesh Edesa (Ethiopia) - 2:22:15
   1. Shoes: adidas Adizero Pro Evo 2

Berlin Marathon 2025

September 21, 2025

If one race could crown a shoe of the year, Berlin would be it. Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe followed up his London victory with a blistering 2:02:16 – the fastest marathon time of 2025 – again in the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2. Berlin’s famously flat course has always been the stage for record-breaking runs, and adidas once again dominated both the men’s and women’s podiums.

The women’s race saw Rosemary Wanjiru take the win in 2:21:05, wearing the Adizero Adios Pro 4, with two more adidas athletes close behind. It was a clean sweep that proved the brand’s consistency across its racing lineup – from the Evo 1 v2 to the Evo 2 and now the Pro 4 prototype.

Men's Results

1. Sabastian Sawe (Kenya) - 2:02:16 (Fastest Time of 2025)
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
2. Akira Akasaki (Japan) - 2:06:15
   1. Shoes: Nike Alphafly 3
3. Chimdessa Debele (Ethiopia) - 2:06:57
   1. Shoes: adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1

Women's Results

1. Rosemary Wanjiru (Kenya) - 2:21:05
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
2. Dera Dida (Ethiopia) - 2:21:08
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 4
3. Azmera Gebru (Ethiopia) - 2:21:29
   1. Shoes: ASICS Metaspeed Tokyo

Chicago Marathon 2025

Chicago rounded out the 2025 season with Jacob Kiplimo’s blazing 2:02:23 finish in the Nike Alphafly 3, marking one of Nike’s biggest marathon wins of the year. Though adidas had the numbers advantage globally, this was a major statement race for the Swoosh.

The women’s event was even more impressive – Hawi Feysa clocked 2:14:56, the fastest women’s time of 2025, in the adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1, giving adidas another record and a fitting season finale.

With prototypes from Hoka, Under Armour, and ASICS also appearing, Chicago highlighted the rapid pace of innovation in marathon tech – new foams, lighter builds, and increasingly aggressive rocker geometries that make “running on rails” a literal feeling.

Men's Results

1. Jacob Kiplimo (Uganda) - 2:02:23
   1. Shoes: Nike Alphafly 3
2. Amos Kipruto (Kenya) - 2:03:54
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2
3. Alex Masai (Kenya) - 2:04:37
   1. Shoes: Hoka Cielo X1 3.0 Dev (prototype)

Women's Results

1. Hawi Feysa (Ethiopia) - 2:14:56 (Fastest Women's Time of 2025)
   1. Shoes: Adidas Adizero Adios Pro Evo 1 v2
2. Megertu Alemu (Ethiopia) - 2:17:18
   1. Shoes: Nike Vaporfly 4
3. Magdalena Shauri (Tanzania) - 2:18:03
   1. Shoes: ASICS Metaspeed Sky Tokyo

New York City Marathon

All eyes now turn to New York, where the 2025 marathon season will officially wrap up this weekend. The city’s five borough course is notoriously tough – with its rolling bridges, unpredictable weather, and punishing final miles through Central Park – but it’s also the perfect testing ground for next-gen racing shoes.

Expect to see plenty of Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2s, Alphafly 3s, and Metaspeed Sky Tokyos on the start line, plus a few unannounced prototypes that could signal what’s next for 2026. One thing’s for sure: in a race where seconds matter, the battle for marathon supremacy isn’t just between runners – it’s between the brands on their feet.

Men's Results

1. TBD
   1. Shoes: TBD
2. TBD
   1. Shoes: TBD
3. TBD
   1. Shoes: TBD

Women's Results

1. TBD
   1. Shoes: TBD
2. TBD
   1. Shoes: TBD
3. TBD
   1. Shoes: TBD

Who's the Winner?

Across 2025’s marathon calendar, one thing was clear: adidas dominated. The Adizero Adios Pro Evo 2 was practically glued to the podium, claiming victories in London, Berlin, and several other majors. But Nike isn’t far behind – its Alphafly 3 kept the Swoosh firmly in the race, with defining wins in Chicago and Sydney.

ASICS, meanwhile, continued to climb the ranks with its Metaspeed Sky Tokyo, securing steady podium placements all year. Even newcomers like Under Armour and Hoka made waves with innovative prototypes, hinting that the next era of marathon footwear could get even more crowded.

Adam Cheung

Adam Cheung is a writer and editor who specialises in sneakers and streetwear. Over the past few years, he's curated features and guides for everyone from Burberry to Nike. Often travelling between the UK and Hong Kong, don't be too surprised if you find Adam anywhere else around the world taking street photography or feasting on the local delicacies.