Nathan Martin wins LA Marathon with historic closest finish ever
High school running coach and Jackson native Nathan Martin won Sunday's 41st Los Angeles Marathon in the race's most dramatic conclusion, edging Kenyan rival Michael Kimani Kamau by just under a single fraction of an inch. The American came from over two miles behind to snatch victory at photo finish speed on what has become history for both athletes and fans alike as Martin secured his first major marathon title since 2018 while Priscah Cherono claimed the women's crown in Kenya earlier that day with her own historic performance of $4,357.
Key Points
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1American Nathan Martin won Sunday's Los Angeles Marathon by less than one second to set an all-time record for closest finish in event history.
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2Martin achieved his victory with 2 hours and 11 minutes, having chased down Kenyan race leader Michael Kimani Kamau from over a mile away during the final straight-away.
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3"Substitute teacher" Nathan Martin of Jackson High School became only the second American man to win consecutive Los Angeles Marathon titles in recent years.
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4Priscah Cherono won Sunday's women's title with an official time under 2 hours and half-hour, earning her race bonus as Kenya claimed both gold medals.
Developments
Perspectives
Nathan Martin won the Los Angeles Marathon by less than one second after chasing down Kenyan runner Michael Kimani Kamau from over 2.5 miles out.
— [Mar 09, 14:20] From @theathletic.com"Talk about a photo finish." The race was won in dramatic fashion with Nathan Martin beating his opponent by less than one second after kicking hard on the final straightaway for victory from Jackson, Michigan.
— [Mar 09, 13:45] Fox2detroitNathan Martin won Sunday's LA Marathon by finishing ahead of Michael Kamau, whose performance caused him medical issues. Priscah Cherono took gold in the women's race with Kellyn Taylor second; both winners were slower than last year due to weather conditions that led organizers to award medals for completing only 18 miles instead of a full course finisher bonus at Dodger Stadium and Century City, Los Angeles
Nathan Martin became only the second person to win the LA Marathon as an amateur runner when he defeated his professional rival, Eliud Kipchoge of Kenya by 14 seconds in Sunday's historic race that began at midnight on Saturday night and ended with a time under two hours.
Nathan Martin from Michigan won the Los Angeles Marathon by less than a second, tying Michael Kimani Kamau with an official finish time of two hours, eleven minutes, and seventeen seconds after sprinting past him in the final straightaway. Both athletes recorded identical times on race registration sites despite video evidence showing Kamau struggling near his arrival at the line as Martin crossed first.