who won the la marathon
Nathan Martin of the United States won the 2026 Los Angeles Marathon men’s race, and Priscah Cherono of Kenya won the women’s race.
Quick Scoop: Who won the LA Marathon?
In the latest LA Marathon, Nathan Martin, an American distance runner and high school coach, surged in the final meters to win the men’s race in the closest finish in the event’s history. He outleaned Kenya’s Michael Kimani Kamau by a razor-thin margin—about a hundredth of a second in a dramatic, photo-finish sprint on Santa Monica Boulevard.
On the women’s side, 45‑year‑old Priscah Cherono of Kenya dominated from the front, leading almost wire to wire and crossing the line first in around 2:25. Her performance not only secured the women’s title but also earned her an additional winner’s bonus for being the first overall finisher under the event’s gender‑staggered start format.
Key facts at a glance
- Winner, men’s elite: Nathan Martin (USA).
- Winner, women’s elite: Priscah Cherono (Kenya).
- Finish style: Closest men’s finish in LA Marathon history, decided by a last‑second sprint and lean at the tape.
- Course: 26.2 miles through Los Angeles, starting at Dodger Stadium and finishing on Santa Monica Boulevard.
| Category | Winner | Country | Notable Detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men's elite | Nathan Martin | USA | Won by about 0.01 seconds in a photo finish. | [3][5][8][1]
| Women's elite | Priscah Cherono | Kenya | Front‑runner almost the entire race, finished around 2:25. | [10][6][1][3]
| Men's wheelchair | Miguel Jimenez Vergara | USA | Held off former champion Luis Francisco Sanclemente. | [3]
| Women's wheelchair | Hannah Babalola | Nigeria | Third title in four years. | [3]
Why it’s trending
Sports outlets and social clips have zeroed in on the dramatic end to the men’s race, where Kamau dove for the line and fell just short as Martin leaned through for the win. The storyline of an American high school coach chasing down a seasoned Kenyan contender in the final meters, along with Cherono’s age‑defying victory at 45, has made this edition of the LA Marathon especially shareable and widely discussed online.
TL;DR: Nathan Martin (USA) won the men’s race in a historic photo finish, and Priscah Cherono (Kenya) won the women’s race with a commanding, front‑running performance.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
