Why It’s Hot: The shoe that made Olympic history in 1984 still looks great decades later.
- A straight last with some motion control for overpronators
- The waffled rubber outsole grips any terrain
- Lots of bold color options to match anything
Price: $100
Style: Casual wear
Available: Now
Earlier this summer Nike rereleased its Daybreak running shoe, a 40-year-old sneaker that left its scuff mark all over women’s running history. The Daybreak was first notable as the shoe that carried Joan Benoit Samuelson 26.2 miles to victory in the first Olympic women’s marathon in 1984.
Pros
- Classic Waffle outsole for traction
- Stylish nylon and suede upper
For U.S. distance running, this was a huge moment—and the iconic Daybreak was right at the foot of it. In a custom pair of red, white, and blue shoes, Benoit Samuelson took the lead early in the race and held it through the finishing tape, beating the second-place Norwegian runner Grete Waitz by 400 meters and setting a new Olympic record with a time of 2:24:52.
Much like the Daybreaks of Benoit Samuelson’s era, Nike’s modern rerelease sports a suede and nylon upper overtop a foam midsole and a waffled rubber outsole. The shoe has long been known for its distinctive color choices; but now Nike has added three bold new colorways: Metallic Gold, with a gold swoosh over a light blue upper; Metallic Silver, with a silver swoosh over a monochrome upper; and Lavender Mist with a black swoosh over a color-blocked purple upper. For more color choices, look to the Daybreaks already released in June: Cool Grey, White/University Red, and Vegas Gold.
While it’s unlikely that the new retro Daybreaks propel any major marathon victories, they still look fresh for casual wear. Put a pair on your feet and honor those early days of women’s Olympic marathon running, when pioneers like Joan Benoit Samuelson were finally getting their shot at a global podium. Check out the Daybreak throwback shoes at nike.com and other sellers, where they retail for $100.
