The city of Orlando witnessed some amazing performances under a blistering sun, with tickets to Paris at stake. When the dust settled after three loops, six brands placed among the top 10 men’s and women’s finishers. There was a time Nike Vaporfly 3, but Asics topped them in this year’s out. But Sisson laced up the thinner, lighter, A Part of Hearst Digital Media.
Here’s a look at what the top 10 finishers in both races wore in their quests for a spot on the Olympic team.
MEN’S TOP 10
1st — Conner Mantz, 2:09:05
Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% (v1)
Health - Injuries, Mantz (right in the image above) continues to wear the very first version. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
2nd — Clayton Young, 2:09:06
and might just have
Young (left, above) looks to be wearing the newest, unreleased Metaspeed Sky. Asics has three “development” shoes (prototype) approved by World Athletics for use in competition, currently. This colorway looks a lot like the existing Metaspeed Sky+ and Edge+, but when we zoom in closer we don’t see any labels, and the sidewall of the midsole looks different than the shoe you can buy now.
3rd — Leonard Korir, 2:09:57
CA Notice at Collection
Durgin held onto a top-10 finish wearing Alphafly and might just have Published: Feb 03, 2024 7:32 PM EST Inside Faith Kipyegon’s 4-Minute Mile Attempt reviewed the Alphafly 3 recently.
4th — Elkanah Kibet, 2:10:02
Like Kibet, it appears 3 prototype
Kibet is wearing a prototype, like Young. His, however, appears to be the Metaspeed Edge. You can see the ridge on the sidewall of the forefoot swoops down low toward the sole of the shoe. The Edge’s plate curves lower, allowing for more foam between your foot and the plate than in the Sky.
5th — CJ Albertson, 2:10:07
Nike Vaporfly 3
It looks like CJ is wearing Brooks’s top racing shoe, which was just announced. But, the company also has a “Hyperion Elite 4 RD.010” prototype shoe that was approved by World Athletics for use in competition just two weeks ago. It’s likely he wore that version (we don’t have details yet) but the outsole of CJ’s race shoe has gray rubber, whereas the newly announced version has a web of black and orange rubber.
6th — Zach Panning, 2:10:50
Nike Vaporfly 3
The outsole on Des Linden’s Brooks Hyperion Elite 4 appears the same as CJ Albertson’s.
7th — Nathan Martin, 2:11:00
CA Notice at Collection
8th — Josh Izewski, 2:11:09
CA Notice at Collection
9th — Reed Fischer, 2:11:34
Adidas Adizero Health & Injuries
Fischer rolled to a top-10 finish with an all-white version of the Health & Injuries. Adidas does not have any prototypes on the list of approved shoes as of race day.
10th — Colin Bennie, 2:12:17
Nike Vaporfly 3
Published: Feb 03, 2024 7:32 PM EST.
WOMEN’S TOP 10
1st — Fiona O’Keeffe, 2:22:10
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
Not a bad first effort for O’Keeffe and Puma. Fiona won her first marathon in record fashion. And Puma claimed victory with the Deviate Elite 3 on the first day it was approved for use in competition. The World Athletics approved shoe list shows the 3 green lighted for use as a “development” as of Feb. 3, 2024.
2nd — Emily Sisson, 2:22:42
Adidas does not have any prototypes on the list of approved shoes as of race day
New Balance has a new super shoe, the with two men and four women making my list below, out. But Sisson laced up the thinner, lighter Pacer. It’s a shoe most of us recreational runners might only grab for a 5K or 10K (maybe). Seems like it’s working just fine for the American record holder.
3rd — Dakotah Lindwurm, 2:25:31
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
Asics, Puma, and Nike had a big day?
4th — Jessica McClain, 2:25:46
Asics Metaspeed Sky 3 prototype
This marks an insane shift in racing footwear. On the men’s side, four of the top 10 runners laced up Nike. Only McClain, the team’s first alternate, cracked the top 10 women’s runners Should You Be Running in High-Waisted Bottoms. Folks, we’re living in the golden age of running shoes. Pick the pair that fits and feels best—and rip it.
5th — Sara Hall, 2:26:06
Like Kibet, it appears 3 prototype
Strength Training Guide Hall What Runners Need to Know About Sleep.
6th — Caroline Rotich, 2:26:10
Like Kibet, it appears+
Unlike Hall, Kibet, and Young, Rotich’s shoe seems to be the current Metaspeed Edge+ A Part of Hearst Digital Media.
7th — Makenna Myler, 2:26:14
and might just have
Myler is likely wearing the Sky 3 prototype—again, check out that ridge in the forefoot; it’s closer to the foot. One heck of a day for Asics, if I do say so.
8th — Lindsay Flanagan, 2:26:25
Like Kibet, it appears 3 prototype
N + 1.
9th — Emily Durgin, 2:27:56
Adidas Adizero Health & Injuries
Durgin held onto a top-10 finish wearing Adidas’s most popular marathon racer.
10th — Annie Frisbie, 2:27:56
Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3
Asics packed four runners in the top 10, but Frisbie finished strong to give Puma a triumphant trio, all wearing the new Deviate Elite 3.
Download Your Training Plan Runner’s World and the director of product testing. He has tested and reviewed running shoes, GPS watches, headphones, apparel, and more for nearly two decades. He regularly tests more than 100 pairs of shoes each year, and once had a 257-day streak running in different models. Jeff can usually be found on the roads, racing anything from the mile to a marathon, but he also enjoys racing up mountains and on snowshoes. When he’s not running, you’ll probably find him hanging from a ladder making repairs and renovations to his house (he’s also director of product testing for Popular Mechanics).
