Nathan Martin pulled off a dramatic win at the Los Angeles Marathon on Sunday as he slipped past Michael Kamau at the finish line in 2:11:18 while Priscah Cherono soared to a 2:25:18 win in the women’s race.
With Kamau holding onto the lead in the late stages, Martin surged in the closing moments in a final sprint. Kamau immediately bolted ahead and fell just as he reached the tape — with Martin getting the slight advantage.
Both runners were credited with 2:11:18 finish times, with Martin, 36, winning by just 0.18 seconds. Kamau collapsed to the line and removed by medical staff on a stretcher, but was not seriously injured and appeared at the podium ceremony.
Enyew Nigat finished third in 2:14:23.
“Every time we got to a patch where there were a lot of people yelling, it just pumped me up,” Martin said to reporters. “I ended up going a little bit faster every time.”
In the women’s race, Cherono was simply dominant, opening up a gap from the start that she would not surrender and led all 26 miles.
Cherono was also the first athlete to cross the finish line and won a $10,000 challenge bonus — with the women’s elite field starting 15 minutes before the men’s group.
Kellyn Taylor was second in 2:27:37 while Antonina Kwambai took third in 2:28:50.’
In the days leading up the race, concerns about warm temperatures prompted race organizers to give runners the option to exit the course at Mile 18 and still receive a finisher medal.
The move drew a mixed reaction, with waves of social media comments citing warm weather conditions in other races while others overwhelmingly saying that they would endure an uncomfortable event run all 26.2 miles.
Women’s elite finishers
1. Priscah Cherono (Kenya) – 2:25:20
2. Kellyn Taylor (USA) – 2:27:37
3. Antonina Kwambai (Kenya) – 2:28:50
4. Alem Nigus Tsadik (USA) -2:28:53
5. Almaz Kebebe (Ethiopia) – 2:29:32
6. Vicoty Chepngeno (Kenya) – 2:29:56
7. Kolole Tefera (Ethiopia) – 2:31:55
8. Savannah Berry (USA) – 2:34:27
9. Makenna Myler (USA) – 2:35:03
10. Atsede Baysa (Ethiopia) – 2:35:13
Men’s elite finishers
1. Nathan Martin (USA) – 2:11:18
2. Michael Kimani Kamau (Kenya) – 2:11:18
3. Enyew Nigat (Ethiopia) – 2:14:23
4. Josh Izewski (USA) – 2:14:43
5. Dominic Ngeno (USA) – 2:16:17
6. Marcelo Lagüera (USA) – 2:17:22
7. Athanas Kioko (USA) – 2:17:43
8. Will Norris (USA) – 2:18:22
9. David Nilsson (Sweden) – 2:19:33
