‘He Could Have Done It Barefoot’ - Kenyans Dispute ‘Supershoe’ Credits for Sabastian Sawe’s Sub-Two-Hour Marathon

Sabastian Sawe’s sponsors Adidas have lauded the power of the Adizero Adios Pro Evo 3 ‘supershoe’ following his historic sub-two-hour marathon in London but Kenyans are not convinced.

Sawe became the first man to run an official marathon under two hours, when he clocked 1:59:30 in London last Sunday, on a day when Ethiopian Yomif Kejelcha managed 1:59:41 on his marathon debut, also wearing the same shoes.

The German sportswear giants have taken the credit for powering Sawe to the historic achievement thanks to their technologically-advanced shoes but Kenyans are having none of it.

A debate in Kenya has ensued this week over whether it was really the shoes or the man, his training and techniques that produced the sub-two-hour marathon and it has even made it to international media.

“Sabastian Sawe did not break the two-hour marathon because he was wearing supershoes. Yomif Kejelcha, the Ethiopian who came in second in his first marathon, was also wearing the same shoe. He ran under two hours in his first-ever marathon,” CNN journalist Larry Madowo said on the network.

“It is not because of the shoe,” Madowo disputed, joining other Kenyans who share the same view. “I am Kenyan, I have the ‘genes,’ I have the same expensive shoes but I am nowhere near their time. I can promise you, if you buy the same shoe that will cost you $500 (Ks64,600), if you train with these guys, you will come nowhere their time.

“These guys are beasts; they train their all lives for this. Everything has prepared them for this moment,” Madowo further said.

It is the view shared by many in Kenya who feel Adidas are stealing Sawe’s thunder by crediting the shoe, which weighs a mere 97 grams for a UK size 8.5, for Sawe’s achievement rather than the athlete.

“Those who say it's their shoes should also buy Adidas, let's see if they'll run one fifty-nine,” one fan commented.

“I find it unfair how, whenever athletes achieve the unthinkable, the credit quietly shifts from human effort to technology & brands. Adidas didn’t run. Sawe did. In fact, Sawe could probably have won this barefoot. If shoes are the ones breaking records, let them line up & run,” another one weighed in.

“They can start a 'barefoot Marathon' and we'd still beat them. Several Kenyans have run and won major races barefoot. Faith Kipyegon, Tegla Lorupe Ethiopia's Abeba Bekele 1960 Olympics gold, etc,” a Kenyan observed.

“You have raised the right point. He is an elite athlete, performances like this come with years of following training, discipline, nutrition, sports science. Gears like shoes also add value in performance but that’s not the only factor in record-breaking performance,” another fan said.

This observation is also shared by the man who runs the sport. While he acknowledges the impact of technology, World Athletics president Sebastian Coe has warned against glorifying super shoes.

"Yes, shoes play a part, but not the biggest part," Coe told the BBC. "The biggest part is the mentality of the athlete, the physicality of the athlete, the world-class coaching, the world-class programmes that are now being run through federations to support their athletes. That's all a part of the improved performances."