We are halfway through the Paris 2024 Olympics, where world-class athletes pit themselves against each other to bring laurels to their countries. At the Olympics, athletes not only show off their skills but also their high-performance shoes. Anyone who has watched various field and track events at the Olympics might have noticed that most shoes worn by athletes look unique, colourful, and trendy. It's highly unlikely that two different athletes will wear the same type of shoe, as brands have developed specific shoes for specific sports to help athletes perform at their best. This is because there is no better sporting event than the Olympics for brands to advertise their products. No matter how big the billboard is, it cannot add more value than when a gold, silver, or bronze medal winner at the Olympics wears a shoe. While some of these shoes are developed in collaboration with the athlete based on their requirements and won't be available for a general audience, most can be easily purchased by anyone. However, they are likely to cost much more than typical running/walking shoes. Some shoes have also been controversial, as they have supposedly helped athletes perform better than others. Modern sports shoes have also helped athletes break several previously thought nearly impossible records. Here are some of the most prominent "super shoes" that have caught everyone's attention at the Paris Olympics. On Cloudboom Echo LS $330 These unconventional-looking shoes, also known as spray-on shoes, featured at the Olympics 2024 do not require laces. They are light and offer a spoon-shaped speed board for better energy absorption. Nike Alphafly 3 Rs 22,795 Nike claims that its latest edition of Alphafly is the world's fastest shoe. Featuring a ZoomX midsole, which helps with cushion impact and works on all types of foot strikes. It is also the lightest Alphafly, which has helped athlete Kelvin Kiptum set a new world marathon time record of 2:00:35. Adidas Adizero Adios Pro 3 Rs 24,999 The Adizero Adios Pro 3 is the go-to shoe for Adidas runners. These shoes use carbon-infused ENERGYRODS 2.0 to deliver lightweight stiffness for a snappy, efficient stride. This shoe has a premium outsole, and 50 per cent of the shoe is made of recycled materials. New Balance FuelCell SuperComp Elite v4 Rs 20,259 These race-day shoes combine a FuelCell midsole with PEBA and a thinner carbon fibre plate to offer better energy return. They use a rocker profile to deliver a natural-feeling transition and are also light in weight. Asics Meta Speed Edge Paris Rs 26,999 Named after the city hosting the Olympics 2024, the Meta Speed Edge Paris is a specially designed shoe for athletes. According to Asics, it is its most advanced lightweight shoe and offers extended stride length. It uses FF Turbo Plus foam, which makes these shoes softer and offers more cushion for landing. Some other shoes at the Paris Olympics making heads turn are: Puma Deviate Nitro Elite 3, the Under Armour Velociti Elite 2, and Brooks Hyperion Elite 5.
