The 2024 Paris Marathon took place yesterday (April 7), where spectators witnessed over 54,0000 runners set off from the Champs-Élysées to complete the 26.2 mile race.
If you're anything like us and like to stay in the know of the best carbon fiber running shoes then you probably want to know who finished first and what shoes they were wearing.
It was a big day for Ethiopia, who won gold in both the men's and women's races. Mulugeta Uma was the first male to cross the finish line, clocking a time of 2:05:33. Meanwhile, the first female, Mestawut Fikir, wasn't far behind with a time of 2:20:45.
It's important to emphasize that these athletes are elite, and their success is attributed to far more than just the shoes they wear on race day. Rigorous training, meticulous hydration and nutrition plans, and diligent recovery routines play huge roles in their achievements.
However, if you're seeking inspiration for your race day footwear, these are the shoes that helped the two runners clinch gold at this year's Paris Marathon.
What running shoes were the Paris Marathon winners wearing?
Both Uma and Fikir completed the race dressed head to toe in ASICS running gear and were both wearing the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris running shoes, which were released in February 2024.
The Sky Paris' predecessor — the Metaspeed Sky+ — launched way back in 2022, so ASICS hasn't rushed to bring out the latest edition of the race shoe. But if the Paris Marathon results are anything to go by, the Metaspeed Sky Paris is paying its dividends for the brand this year.
The running shoe is priced at $250 in the US and £220 in the UK. This is cheaper than some of the existing popular super shoes like the Nike Air Zoom Alphafly Next% 2. But if you want to find a cheaper race day shoe, you'll want to look into New Balance Fuelcell Supercomp Elite V3 or Saucony Endorphin Pro 3.
The ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris are pretty lightweight, clocking in at just 188g/6.6oz for the men's size 9 shoe. And they come with ASICS' new FF Turbo+ foam to offer comfort and cushioning while pounding the roads and sidewalks.
Meanwhile, the shoe's upper features Motion Wrap 2.0 technology to enhance breathability and comfort during your runs. The embedded carbon plate helps propel you forwards too, allowing you to get up to speed in a pinch.
Overall, the ASICS Metaspeed Sky Paris seems to be an impressive shoe for its versatility, designed to push runners through PBs in various distances from 5K races to marathons. Does this sound like your next race day shoe?
