The launch of the Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive – developed alongside athletes with disabilities, Paralympians and GAMUT Management over multiple years – marks adidas Running’s first systematic attempt to address a running market that has historically excluded non-standard foot anatomy.
On March 21 – World Down Syndrome Day – adidas released the Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive, its first performance running shoe developed in direct collaboration with athletes with disabilities. The launch is the product-level result of a multi-year creative and commercial direction that began in 2022 with the Runner 321 campaign, and is accompanied by a campaign conceived by TBWA\Canada (formerly FCB Canada), adidas Running’s agency of record for inclusive marketing work.
A category gap that adidas chose to fill
The shoe emerged from a straightforward commercial observation: for millions of people with disabilities, standard running footwear does not fit or function adequately. Chris Nikic, an adidas-sponsored athlete and the first person with Down syndrome to complete an Ironman triathlon, trained through chronic pain and blistering for years before a shoe was developed to address his needs. Despite completing three Ironmans, four half Ironmans and 20 marathons, he could not run a few miles in conventional footwear without discomfort caused by foot anatomy common among people with Down syndrome.
“What feels like a two out of 10 in pain for most people hurts like an eight for me,” Nikic said. “adidas understood exactly what I need in a shoe. Now I love running – because my feet don’t hurt anymore.”
From the 2022 Runner 321 campaign to a physical product
The Runner 321 campaign introduced Nikic as a sponsored athlete and established the premise that the running category needed to be redesigned, not just widened. The Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive completes that arc. Developed with TBWA\Canada, the launch campaign makes the case that inclusive design at this level requires institutional commitment over time – not a one-season activation. The accompanying creative work, visible across social channels including a launch reel on Instagram, centres on Nikic’s own running experience and the development journey behind the product.
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Three years of testing with the people most affected
To develop the shoe, adidas partnered with GAMUT Management – a consultancy specialising in inclusive product design – which facilitated structured focus groups and testing rounds throughout the process. Participants included people with Down syndrome, wheelchair users, individuals living with chronic illness, those with mobility and fine motor challenges, and athletes with upper and lower limb differences. Two Paralympians, Tracy Otto and Haven Shepherd, were among the contributors. The shoe subsequently received the GAMUT Seal of Approval for meeting GAMUT’s quality standards for inclusive design.
What the shoe does differently
The Supernova Rise 3 Adaptive shares the Dreamstrike+ foam cushioning and LIGHTTRAXION outsole from the standard Supernova Rise 3 – a reformulated foam described by adidas as 20 percent softer than the version used in the Rise 2 – but adds a distinct set of adaptive modifications derived from the testing process. Key changes include a stiffened step-in heel engineered for hands-free or limited-mobility entry, a low-pressure lacing system that lifts laces away from sensitive contact points, heel and tongue loops with a magnetic toggle, and a wider forefoot to accommodate natural toe spread. Tactile elements – including a chevron heel pattern – are designed to support athletes with visual or sensory needs.
The shoe retails at $140 (€150) and is available globally through adidas.com, the adidas app and select retail stores.
About GAMUT Management
GAMUT Management is a premier, US-based inclusive design consultancy and talent agency dedicated to bridging the gap between brands and the disability community. Founded on the principle that people with disabilities are a primary—not secondary—market, GAMUT provides end-to-end product development consulting, from initial focus groups and inclusive design sprints to rigorous real-world testing. Their proprietary GAMUT Seal of Approval™ serves as a gold standard in the industry, certifying that products meet high benchmarks for accessibility, functionality, and style.
