Spiridon may seem like a strange name, but Nike has used it for three different models across three different decades. The common thread is the name, which is linked to sports history: Spiridon Louis was the first winner of the modern Olympic marathon in 1896. Not a bad name for a running shoe.
Nike Spiridon 1984
Perhaps the least known, yet potentially the most successful. In 1984, for the Los Angeles Olympics, Nike created its first Spiridon, with a dual-density midsole designed exclusively for the fastest runners. One of the favorites for the event, Portuguese runner Carlos Lopes, wanted his own special version for the Games, with golden details because his goal was to win gold.
Carlos Lopes won gold, and Nike released that special version, naming it Spiridon Gold. Since then, the Spiridon has had a special connection with gold.
Nike Zoom Spiridon
The 1997 Nike Zoom Spiridon had no relation to the 1984 version. Nike had developed a new cushioning technology called Zoom, and placed it in a model designed for Michael Johnson, who had won two golds in the 200 and 400 meters the year before, wearing golden shoes.
The Nike Zoom Spiridon was designed as training shoes for sprinters, but its striking aesthetic, which shared details with the Air Max 97 and Air GX (both designed by Christian Tresser), led it to become a streetwear classic.
Nike Spiridon Cage 2
In 2003, another design legend, Steven Smith, took on the task of creating the new Spiridon. This time, the goal was to create a lightweight training shoe with the new Zoom Cage cushioning system, which exposed the Zoom and encapsulated it between Pebax cages. It shared the technical mesh and metallic tones with the 1997 Zoom Spiridon.
Far from the functionality of the original Spiridon, created for the fastest marathoners, this new Spiridon was a design exercise created for the Japanese market.
Three silhouettes that return punctually from the Nike archives in some of their different versions but always with the memory in the name of the first Olympic marathon runner.