ASICS is today announcing not one but two  high-performance running shoes that take the power of human-centric design to the  next level.  

In an industry first, METASPEED™ Sky and METASPEED™ Edge have each been  scientifically designed with a distinct type of running style in mind. The new racing  shoes help elite athletes to reach the top of their game, because they don’t have to  adjust their running style to fit the shoe anymore; instead, ASICS is giving them high performance shoes that support their running style. 

The shoes were unveiled at ASICS’ Innovation Summit 2021 – the brand's annual  showcase of the very pinnacle of new performance sportswear. This year ASICS hosted  its first ever, fully personalised experience, taking guests on an interactive virtual reality  journey through the past, present and future of the ASICS story and its longstanding  commitment to human-centric design. The experience culminated in the grand reveal  of its ground-breaking METASPEED™ innovation - the latest era-defining moment in  this journey. 

METASPEED™: Taking human-centric design to the next level 

METASPEED™ Sky and METASPEED™ Edge see ASICS set the standard for human centric design in 2021. 

The unique design story behind the two new shoes centres on a crucial insight by  scientists at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science (ISS). They recognised that the type of  shoes powering the world’s fastest were only favouring one type of runner - STRIDE  runners - those with a long-loping gait with large periods spent airborne who increase  their speed by extending their stride length.  

ASICS research however showed that these shoes do not fully support elite athletes  who prefer the second major running style – CADENCE, which features smaller steps  made while hovering over the ground with minimal up and down motion. Crucially,  these runners increase their speed by both extending their stride length and increasing  the number of steps they take per minute.

Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of running shoes, as well as, other athletic footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com. 

The stripe design featured on the sides of the ASICS®shoes is a registered trademark of ASICS Corporation. 

The sports scientists at the ISS were able to measure that athletes perform better when  running in shoes that are optimised for their running style. Addressing the challenge,  ASICS has created the METASPEED™ Sky for STRIDE runners and METASPEED™ Edge  for those with a CADENCE style - both specially optimised and proven to improve  runner performance for each of the two major running styles1. 

The launch of METASPEED™ Sky and METASPEED™ Edge means that runners will no  longer having to adjust their running style to suit the shoe they’re wearing. With initial  tests from ASICS already showing the METASPEED™ innovation could help reduce the  number of steps for a runner to finish a marathon by over 1.2%2, it will give all elite  runners the opportunity to reach peak performance. 

Kenichi Harano, Executive Officer and Senior General Manager at the ASICS  Institute of Sport Science said: “The METASPEED™ journey began with the simple  insight that athletes run faster in shoes are that specially tailored for them. From here - we got to work. Following a lengthy, meticulous research and development process,  METASPEED™ Sky and METASPEED™ Edge were born. Optimised for the two most  prevalent running styles in elite runners, they are both at the very pinnacle of running  innovation. Our initial tests are already showing them to have an impact on the times  of the elite runners’ we’ve been working with. That's why we're so excited to be  unveiling them to the world today.” 

Australian athletes including long distance runner, Lisa Weightman and triathlete, Jake  Birtwhistle had the opportunity to trial the METASPEED™ before it’s launch.  

Since trialing the new ASICS shoes, Lisa has achieved the fastest 10km time by an  Australian woman on Australian soil.  

"I love this shoe! The balance of cushioning and responsiveness is perfect, and the extra  kick from the carbon plate really helps beat those P.B's" said Lisa Weightman,  Australian long distance runner and ASICS ambassador.  

On testing the new METASPEED™, Australian Olympic hopeful, Jake Birtwhistle said: “This is the best long distance race shoe I’ve worn, it has the perfect blend of  comfort and speed to keep me running faster for longer!” 

President & Chief Operating Officer of ASICS, Yasuhito Hirota said: “At ASICS we are  driven by our founding principle: we want to help everyone achieve a sound mind in a sound body through sport. At the heart of this philosophy is an unwavering belief in the  power of human-centric design to create products that deliver the perfect balance of  peak performance and protection for every kind of athlete. With the pandemic placing  huge restrictions on competitive sport across the globe, this longstanding obsession of  ours has become supercharged for 2021. This year's Innovation Summit and launch of  METASPEED™ stands as a symbol of our continued commitment to help elite athletes  

1 Research conducted by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in Jan. 2021. Please see Notes To Editors for more information. 

2 Research conducted by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in Jan. 2021. Please see Notes To Editors for more information.

Anima Sana In Corpore Sano, meaning “A Sound Mind in a Sound Body,” is an old Latin phrase from which ASICS is  derived and the fundamental platform on which the brand still stands. The company was founded more than 60 years  ago by Kihachiro Onitsuka and is now a leading designer and manufacturer of running shoes, as well as, other athletic  footwear, apparel and accessories. For more information, visit www.asics.com. 

The stripe design featured on the sides of the ASICS®shoes is a registered trademark of ASICS Corporation. 

The METASPEED™ Sky will be available globally via the ASICS website and selected  specialty retail stores from March 31, 2021. The METASPEED™ Edge will be available  from June 4, 2021. Both shoes will retail for $330.00 AUD.  

ABOUT THE PRODUCTS 

METASPEED™ Sky 

The METASPEED™ Sky racing shoe is designed to help runners go faster by extending  their stride length considerably. Stride-type runners take a longer stride once they start  increasing their speed. Thanks to an energetic midsole foam and a propulsive carbon  plate, runners wearing these shoes will be able to conserve more energy while  maintaining their pace at the later stages of the race. 

METASPEED™ Edge 

The METASPEED™ Edge racing shoe is designed to help cadence-type runners go  faster by extending their stride length while allowing them to control cadence more  easily. Cadence-type runners increase both cadence and stride as they run faster.  Runners wearing these shoes will experience a fast underfoot feel, thanks to the  energetic midsole foam and a propulsive carbon plate. These components allow them  to elongate their stride and conserve more energy while controlling their pace. 

To find out more about the products, please visit asics.com. 

1 Based on research conducted by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in January 2021  which proved that STRIDE runners perform better in METASPEED™ Sky and Cadence  runners in METASPEED™ Edge. 

2 Based research conducted by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science in January 2021.  Calculation is based on the average number of steps taken by Stride runners when  wearing the METASPEED™ Sky shoe over the course of a marathon compared to  ASICS’ previous pinnacle racing shoe, METARACER™.