American runner Nathan Martin, who combines professional sports with work as a teacher and coach, became the winner of the 41st Los Angeles Marathon. At the finish line, he was ahead of Kenyan Michael Kamau by 0.01 seconds, which was the closest finish in the history of the race.
The Los Angeles Marathon is one of the largest marathons in the United States, traditionally running from Dodger Stadium to Century City. This year, organizers implemented special safety measures due to the weather, with temperatures expected to reach 80°F (27°C), and medals were awarded to runners who completed the 18-mile (29 km) mark.
In the men's race, American athletes hold the lead for the second year in a row. Last season, Matt Richtman became the first American to win the marathon since 1994, breaking a decades-long dominance by runners from East Africa.
This time, the fate of the gold medal was decided in the final meters of the race in a head-to-head format. During the final stage of the race, the leadership was held by Kenyan Michael Kamau, while 36-year-old Nathan Martin was in the role of the one who catches up. The American began a protracted race a few meters from the finish, closing the gap on the leader right within the finish line.
The winner of the competition was determined by photo finish. Martin recorded a time of 2:11:16.50, ahead of Kamau by only 0.01 seconds. Despite the fact that in the official protocols both athletes were credited with identical times to whole seconds, the technique confirmed the minimal advantage of the American. The top three medalists were closed by Kenyan Enyu Nigat with a result of 2:14:23.
Kamau himself lost consciousness after the finish due to dehydration. Immediately after he collapsed, medics rushed to him.
The race winner commented on his strategy in the final kilometers of the race, noting the moment when he decided to overtake:
“I made a real push with five miles to go when I saw no one else was picking up the pace. I decided I had to push… A mile and a half to go I saw the leader and with 800 meters to go I knew I was catching him,” Nathan Martin was quoted as saying by the Daily Mail.
The women's race was won by 45-year-old Kenyan Priska Cherono, who finished with a time of 2:25:20.
Nathan Martin: what is known about the runner
- 36-year-old American runner.
- Martin combines professional sports with civilian work: he is a substitute teacher and also the track and field and cross country coach at Jackson High School, Michigan.
- His personal best is 2:10:45 – this result was set at the Grandma's Marathon in 2023, where Martin became the fastest black marathoner born in the United States.