Adidas sales surge after Sabastian Sawe breaks London Marathon record

Sportswear giant Adidas has reported a significant surge in first-quarter sales and operating profits, bolstered by Kenyan athlete Sabastian Sawe’s historic sub-two-hour run at Sunday’s London Marathon.

The company saw its shares climb by 7% at market open following a robust performance that defied a volatile global retail environment.

Operating profit for the first quarter increased by 16% to 705m euros, significantly exceeding analyst expectations of 647m euros.

‘Supershoe’ success drives running boom

A major catalyst for this financial growth has been the immense popularity of the brand’s ultra-light racing footwear.

The innovative shoe was worn by Sawe as he became the first person to complete an official marathon in under two hours in the British capital.

Driven by the historic achievement of the elite distance runner, the German manufacturer’s running division saw sales surge by more than 10%.

Football demand and strategic discipline

Increased consumer demand for international football kits ahead of the 2026 World Cup also contributed heavily to the positive financial outlook.

Adidas chief executive Bjorn Gulden acknowledged “many supply and transportation issues” remain for World Cup products.

Despite these logistical hurdles, the group’s currency-neutral sales rose by 14% to reach 6.6bn euros overall.

The European brand has emphasised strict discipline in its retail strategy to avoid heavy discounting.

This deliberately contrasts with the aggressive promotional approach recently adopted by US rival Nike to clear unsold stock.

Direct-to-consumer sales accelerate

While third-party retailers still account for nearly two-thirds of total revenue, direct customer sales have seen a dramatic acceleration.

Revenue generated through the company’s own website jumped by 25%, while physical store operations experienced a 19% growth rate.

Although overall footwear expansion was a modest 4% in currency-adjusted terms, wider apparel sales soared by 31% over the same period.