Pair of Nike running shoes from 1972 sell for record amount of £350k at auction

A pair of 1972 Nike running shoes have sold for a world record £350,000 at auction.

The Waffle 'Moon Shoe' was one of the first to be created by Nike co-founder Bill Bowerman and was designed for runners at the Munich Olympic trials.

Only 12 were ever created, with only a few still in existence.

Collector Miles Nadal bought the trainers - the only known unworn pair - for $437,500 (£350,000), at a Sotheby's on New York.

One of only a handful of pairs known to exist, this Moon Shoe is a handmade running shoe designed by Bill Bowerman (REX)

The Nike 'Moon Shoe' is one of the most significant artifacts in the history of the multi-billion dollar athletic brand (REX)

The Canadian businessman said he now plans to display the running shoes at his private museum in Toronto, the Dare to Dream Automobile Museum.

The previous world auction record was set in 2017 at £153,000, for a pair of signed Converse that Michael Jordan wore in the 1984 Olympic basketball final.

Bowerman said he was inspired to create the waffle sole traction pattern for Nike's early running shoes by experimenting with his wife's waffle maker, pouring rubber into the mould to create the first prototype of the sole.

The Nike Waffle Racing Flat Moon Shoe sold at auction for $437,500 (REX)

The shoes were part of Sotheby's 'Stadium Goods: the Ultimate Sneaker Collection' online auction.

Last week, Nadal purchased 99 other pairs of rare sneakers from Sotheby's in a private sale for £680,000.