500 euros for 138 grams
Wunderschuh delights German marathon record holder
September 25, 2023, 11:58 a.m
Fourth fastest European in history, fastest German ever: At the Berlin Marathon, Amanal Petros runs the 42.195 kilometers under 2:05 hours for the first time. The athlete then thanks his outfitter with the extraordinary story.
Amanal Petros looks lovingly at his new shoes, holding them in his hands almost carefully and admiringly. The German marathon king posted two crowns in his video on Instagram, as well as his new historical best time. 2:04:58 hours. German record. The technical progress with the development of carbon shoes is discussed lively and controversially in the athletics scene – also against the background of injuries. The Achilles tendon in particular seems to be affected.
“I’ve never had such a good feeling,” said Petros about his race in Berlin. Thanks to his high-tech shoes, which weigh just 138 grams and have built-in suspension using exquisite materials such as carbon or energy recovery foam, the 28-year-old literally flew past the Victory Column, Reichstag, Potsdamer Platz and into the finish at the Brandenburg Gate. And then announced with a view to the Olympics in Paris next year: “I have a lot of plans.”
And with these 500 euro shoes on his feet, Petros can still do a lot; with an iron will, he has worked his way into the advanced world class. The preparation took four months at an altitude of 2,500 meters in Kenya, with only “training, sleeping and eating” on the program. “This new shoe, which is very light, is of course not super stable. You have to train very carefully with it,” said Petros, who said he only completed two training runs with his model.
According to Petros’ own feeling, the shoes push him forward and upward. The decisive factor is the feeling of contact between body and foot. The 29-year-old believes the shoes are suitable for running the marathon distance of 42.195 kilometers four to five times. “This race was something very special,” said Petros, who is now the fourth fastest European in history – even ahead of British running superstar Mo Farah. On the road he also already holds the German records for 10 kilometers and in the half marathon.
It is the next chapter in the amazing life story of Petros, whose father was murdered when he was two years old. He fled from Eritrea to Ethiopia with his mother and two sisters, came to Germany at the age of 16 and found solace in running. And Petros is getting faster and faster and is also switching to the train. In preparation for the Berlin Marathon, he competed in a 10,000 meter race at the Diamond League meeting in Brussels, where he ran a personal best of 27:47.62 minutes and came 11th eternal DLV best list.